Joseph Sterling (1936–2010) was an American photographer who began his practice at the age of eleven in Texas. Inspired by a photograph by Harry Callahan, he moved to Chicago in 1956 to study at the Institute of Design (ID), where he studied under masters such as Callahan, Aaron Siskind, and Frederick Sommer. He earned both a BS (1959) and an MS (1962). Sterling is best known for his street photography capturing youth culture in Chicago during the late 1950s and early 1960s. His master's thesis, 'The Age of Adolescence,' documented teenagers at drive-ins and hanging out after school. He was a member of the 'ID 5' group of photographers. His work is held in major collections including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), George Eastman House, and the Art Institute of Chicago.[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11]
The Age of Adolescence: Joseph Sterling Photographs 1959-19642005 · Greybull Press/D.A.P. · book · EnglishISBN 0972778853Includes an essay by David Travis.
Exhibitions
Early and Unknown: Photographs from the Archive of Joseph SterlingStephen Daiter Gallery, Chicagosolo
