Hal Gould

Hal Gould (born February 29, 1920 in Clark, Wyoming) American Photographer and Gallery Curator

Bioragphical Information

Hal grew up on a farm in New Mexico. After leaving home at 15, Hal held different jobs. He entered dentistry school, but left to join the army after being drafted in 1940. Before he was called to duty he joined the 19th infantry division, company E. Eventually he entered officer school and became a head personnel officer. After the boming of Perarl Harbor, he island hopped with MacArthur, staying in Japan during the occupation. Although he held many careers including railroad tie repairer, boxer, pilot, painter, it was becoming a photographer that would change his life. For nearly a quarter of a century he practiced as a portrait photographer, eventually shifting into fine arts photography.

Due to his increasing interest in fine art photography Hal tried repeatedly to get the Denver Art Museum to display photography, but director Otto Bach told him that there would never be any photography in the museum as long as he was director (and there wasn't until a new director took over). Thus to make artistic photography available to the public, Hal opened a photography gallery, directly behind the Denver Art Musem, called Camera Obscura, which is now one of the oldest (if not the oldest) galleries dedicated exclusively to fine art photography. Hal’s work at the gallery has influenced the photography community including giving [[Sebasti%E3o_Salgado]] his first show in America. The gallery also puts out the Photography in the Fine Arts Quarterly, started in 1983, with information about the photography community. Hal's own photography includes Western scenery and flora along with pictures from his various travels.

Hal's most prominent works include:

• Penguin Hallelujah Chorus
• Cowboy and Lady (collaboration with Mollie Uhl Eaton)
• Bristle Cone Pine-'Ming Dog Tree'

Miscellaneous Facts

• He received an autographed pair of boxing gloves from Olympic Gold Medalist Teofil Stevenson in Cuba after recounting joking with him at the 1980 Olympics.

• At the age of 19 Hal boxed Eddie Chavez in a lighthearted exhibition match. Hal won by TKO in the third round.

• Early in his gallery career he held a show selling Ansel Adams and Edward Weston prints for 25 dollars each, with no sales. Today Weston's "Green Pepper" sells for 100,000-200,000 dollars at auction.

• While in the Pacific during WW2, Agnes Moorehead, there for a USO show, sat in his chair and told him it was the only one that accommodated her (accompanied with the gesture of slapping her hips) since she'd been performing for the troops.

• Once had a date with Judy Garland which went rather poorly for both.

• Has been to every continent including Antarctica in 2000 and Africa in 2004.

• His favorite photographs of all time include W. Eugene Smith's Tomoko Uemura in Her Bath (Minamata series), Falling Soldier by Robert Capa, and Philippe Halsman's Einstein portrait.

• He took a picture of Gregorio Fuentes on his 100th birthday, who was the inspiration for Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea.

Personal Quote

"Art is in the Artist, not in the medium!"

External Links

• Camera Obscura's home page