 "Photo: AccuNet/AP Photo Archive")
If one were to venture out into the art world for a day, one could experience photographic exhibits of Allen Ginsberg's beatnik friends, Al Rendon's rock 'n' roll icons and Lisa Krantz's inside look at the Haitian community.
Fotoseptiembre is an international photography festival through 30 that showcases many artists' works in a variety of galleries throughout the city and in Boerne.
"Allen Ginsberg: Beat Generation Photographer," at the San Antonio Museum of Art, exposes intimate portraits of Ginsberg's legendary friends.
Photographs of William S. Burroughs sleeping on his typewriter, Jack Kerouac standing on a fire escape contemplating life, with a cigarette in hand, and a self-portrait of Ginsberg on his way to an opium den in Calcutta, portray glimpses of the bohemian lifestyle the "beats" were famous for.
There are photographs of psychedelic research pioneer Timothy Leary, whose slogan was "turn on, tune in and drop out," and his friends experimenting with acid while joyriding on Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters' Bus.
Original copies of the books "Naked Lunch," by Burroughs and "On the Road" by Kerouac are on display, along with audio recordings of Ginsberg, Burroughs and Kerouac. The exhibit also contains movie posters from the beat era and trading cards of beat characters.
Kerouac's nephew, LaVern, and his wife, Rosie, happened to be viewing the exhibit Sunday morning.
"The entire manuscript for 'On the Road' was written on a blank newspaper scroll in just three weeks," LaVern Kerouac said.
Popularized in the late 1940s by writer Kerouac, the term "beat" quickly became a slang term in post-World War II America, signifying "exhaust," "beat down" or "without hope or illusions."
Modest in form and personal in content, the Ginsberg exhibit records fleeting moments of a rebellious time. Forty-seven of Ginsberg's photographs from two distinct periods as a photographer are on display through Oct. 14.
"This exhibit is history, memories of the '50s, and I hope everyone gets a chance to see it," LaVern Kerouac said.
"All Access: My Rock 'n' Roll," on display at Rendon Photography and Fine Art, is a photographic collection of live performances and backstage antics of some of the greatest rock bands in history, captured by Al Rendon.
When Rendon was only 16, he borrowed some of his high school's photography equipment, went to a Led Zeppelin concert, rushed the stage with the crowd and started shooting pictures.
He managed to capture striking images of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page rocking out on stage while beads of sweat drip off their bodies.
"There was no MTV in the '70s, so it was up to photographers to show rock 'n' roll to the world," Rendon said.
For Rendon, a former Ranger photographer, the camera was like Jimmy Page's guitar: an extension of his own body.
Rock stars such as Rush, The Scorpions and Judas Priest came through San Antonio, and Rendon photographed them all.
"You had to get in the middle of it," Rendon said. "You had to pursue it, and you had to keep in touch, or else someone else was going to get the shot."
Rendon's persistence paid off, and the result is an electrifying collection of photographs, showcasing 20 critical years of rock 'n' roll from 1973-1993.
"In Focus: Texas Documentary Photographers," on display at the Majestic Ranch Arts Foundation in Boerne, showcases real life images of a Haitian community photographed by Krantz.
Photographs of Haitians selling wares at busy bus stations, warming-up before soccer games and years of violence and neglect taking its toll on buildings, show what it's like to live in a large Haitian community in Florida.
"You always see photographs of violence and crime in the newspapers, but I wanted to show life outside of that," Krantz said.
The photographs capture a certain passion and spirit that is visible in many of the faces, and they seem to embrace their life regardless of their surroundings.
Krantz, who is a San Antonio Express-News photographer, spent several years covering the Haitian community in Florida.
"I have always been drawn to stories I think need to be told," Krantz said.
Becoming a successful photographer takes years of growth and development.
"For me, it's what I really love to do, and I wasn't going to let anyone stop me," said Krantz, who is a self-confessed workaholic.
Fotoseptiembre has grown tremendously since its start in 1996 as a small, engaging group of 12 exhibiters.
In 1998, Fotoseptiembre became a full-fledged international event, in conjunction with the Centro de la Imagen in Mexico City; including 25 exhibits in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Boston and New York.
The 2000 edition of Fotoseptiembre more than doubled in size, showcasing the work of more than 180 photographic artists in 50 exhibits at galleries, art spaces and other venues in San Antonio and other cities.
In 2002, a wide spectrum of innovative photographic work from 230 artists was showcased in 75 exhibits at 62 venues in San Antonio, Boerne, Kerrville, New Braunfels, Austin, Houston, Orlando, Maryland and New York. Exhibiting photographers came from Peru, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Iran, Mexico, India and the USA.
Today is no different.
OnGoing exhibits
Allen Ginsberg: Beat Generation Photographer Exhibit on display: Through Oct. 14 Viewing hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday noon-6 p.m. Sunday Closed Monday San Antonio Museum of Art 200 W. Jones Ave. 978-8100
All Access: My Rock 'n' Roll Exhibit on display: Through Oct. 31 Viewing hours: By appointment. Contact: alrendon@satx.rr.com Rendon Photography & Fine Art 733 S. Alamo 225-2287
In Focus: Texas Documentary Photographers Lisa Krantz, Alan Pogue, Lance Rosenfield and Erin Trieb Exhibit on display: Through Sept. 30 Viewing hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday Majestic Ranch Arts Foundation 543 Highway 46 West (830) 537-4654
*For more information on exhibits, go to www.fotoseptiembreusa.com
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