Summary
At a time when specialists populate the art world, the career of Van Deren Coke seems almost inconceivable. As a scholar, curator, collector and educator, Coke made contributions to the art of photography that were nothing short of colossal. When he died July 11, Coke left a legacy that spans national borders and artistic disciplines, but photographers in New Mexico are particularly indebted to his vision and his work.
"More than anybody else, Coke was responsible for New Mexico's current high visibility in the world of photography," Peter Walch, a former director of the University of New Mexico Art Museum and professor of art history, said by phone from his home in Maine. "His influence in the general visual arts is significant, but in photography, it is completely without parallel in New Mexico."See the full content of this document
Extract
Van Deren Coke's Enduring Vision
"Great photographers had passed through New Mexico, but there were no collections, exhibitions, galleries or international prominence," Walch said. "Van made that happen. Almost all the great names that came to New Mexico came directly or indirectly because of Van [when he was at UNM]. And after that, there was a radiating influence to other parts of the state."
Coke was a leader of the vanguard that brought serious attention to photography, which didn't enjoy its current status with critics and collectors before the 1960s, Walch said. "He was very much in th...See the full content of this document
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