Kismaric S. American Politicians: Photographs from 1843 to 1993

Museum of Modern Art, 1994. — 212 p.In this book, published in conjunction with a Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) exhibition of the same title, Kismaric has selected 150 duotone photographs that build a chronology of American photography of politicians, from the carefully staged portraits of the 19th century to more contemporary images, generated by motor-driven 35 mm cameras that can grab odd moments of face and form. Kismaric is curator of MOMA's Department of Photography, and true to her museum's tradition she offers a crisp and informative text that follows the evolution of the depiction of American politicians in black and white. A surprising range of emotions are shown in these politicians; early shots carry the visual message of the absurd, while the much-discussed "photo opportunity" is rarely seen later in this collection. Recommended for academic, museum, and public libraries.