Diane Arbus Photograph Print Dance Champions 1962

Diane Arbus Photograph print by Neil Selkirk "The Junior Interstate Ballroom Dance Champions 1962". This is an insider print photograph property of Jane Greenberg who was Picture Editor of Modern Photography Magazine (1969 - 1974) within the circle of peers in relation to Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk, & Marvin Israel. In the early 1970's as Diane Arbus work was becoming of mainstream interest and recognition. Jane Greenberg as Picture Editor of Modern Photography Magazine was working with Cornell Capa, Marvin Israel, and Neil Selkirk, as colleagues, mentors, and friends. In 1972 in a meeting with Marvin Israel in his quirky studio on lower Fifth Avenue Jane Greenberg received this Neil Selkirk print “The Junior Interstate Ballroom Dance Champions, Yonkers, NY. 1962” directly from Marvin Israel (1924-1984) artist, art director and renowned designer of photography books, including the groundbreaking Diane Arbus. This print given to Jane Greenberg by Marvin Israel is indeed authentic and significant. Jane Greenberg contacted the Estate of Diane Arbus in 2005 to have the print documented and authenticated. The Estate of Diane Arbus validated this print as to be a print made by Neil Selkirk of the period 1972 and verifying the handwriting on the back of the photo to be Marvin Israel’s. Also noting the print was not authorized by the Estate of Diane Arbus as a documented licensed numbered print of 1 -75 prints image size 14.75 x 14.75 inches licensed for sale by the Estate of Diane Arbus. Jane Greenberg's print image size 10 x 10 inches was given to her by Marvin Israel prior to The Estate of Diane Arbus acting as a fully functioning controlling licensing body of Diane Arbus Works. At this time in 1972 Doon Arbus was working with Marvin Israel on Aperture Monograph the book to be released with the retrospective of Arbus' work at MOMA. Understanding the timeline, image size, the provenance and acknowledgement of the timeline by the Estate of Diane Arbus related to Jane Greenberg's print “The Junior Interstate Ballroom Dance Champions, Yonkers, NY 1962” makes the Greenberg print a rare early period authentic print by Neil Selkirk and Marvin Israel from the inner circle of those documenting the Work of Diane Arbus in 1972. Neil Selkirk started printing in fall of 1972 for the MOMA retrospective and Aperture Monograph and remains the only person who is authorized to make posthumous prints of Arbus' work. Doon Arbus and Marvin Israel edited and designed the 1972 book, Diane Arbus: an Aperture Monograph, published by Aperture and accompanying the Museum of Modern Art's exhibition. Jane Greenberg’s print is from the Fall of 1972 prior to the show and the book release prior to sale of limited edition prints of Diane Arbus Works by The Diane Arbus Estate, making this Jane Greenberg print a rare and significant photograph, as a early piece of Neil Selkirk print work history produced from Diane Arbus Works.

Sheet size 11 x 14 / Image size 10 x 10
Also Included is letter from Jane Greenberg below.

Jane Greenberg statement.
In 1969 I began working as the Picture Editor of Modern Photography Magazine, a job that sent me into museums and galleries to write reviews of photography shows and into photographers’ studios to work with them on articles for the magazine. I met often with Cornell Capa, a larger-than-life figure who drew artists to him and who was a founder of Magnum, the photo agency and of the International Center for Concerned Photography NYC.

Beginning in 1970, Cornell organized a series of lectures presented by the International Fund for Concerned Photography and New York University School of Continuing Education. Diane Arbus was one of his guest photographers and that is when he introduced me to her. She spoke that evening about how everyone is afraid that something terrible is going to happen to them and that she photographed people with disabilities or disfigurement because something already had. Perhaps she said, she could learn about survival. She was funny, insightful and a skillful storyteller relating how she clipped stories from the newspaper for shooting ideas including the convention for twins that resulted in one of her best-known photos.

Following her death in 1971, Marvin Israel, former art director of Harper’s Bazaar, designer of photo exhibits, longtime friend and mentor, was designated to organize a photo book and Neil Selkirk, a friend who had taken Diane Arbus master class and a skilled print maker, to make the official prints for a retrospective exhibit of her work November 7, 1972-January 21, 1973, at the Museum of Modern Art.

The exhibit would open at the same time Modern Photography would release its 1973 Annual issue that concentrated on portfolios of artists with books and or exhibits coming out for this year. In late November of 1972 I met with Marvin Israel in his quirky studio on lower Fifth Avenue where taxidermized creatures peeked out between the books on his shelves. It was at this meeting in 1972 with Marvin Israel that I received this Neil Selkirk print “The Junior Interstate Ballroom Dance Champions, Yonkers, NY. 1962”. After which a series of her photographs were published in the Annual, Modern Photography 1973, with captions that I wrote.

Many years later, on June 23, 2005, I contacted the Estate of Diane Arbus to document and authenticate my photograph. They returned a letter to say that my print is of the period 1972 made by Neil Selkirk and verifying the handwriting on the back of the photo to be Marvin Israel’s. Also added that the image was the subject of a copyright and was never authorized by the estate for distribution, release, or sale. At the time I had received my print from Marvin Israel in 1972, the Estate of Diane Arbus only focus was the 1972 Museum of Modern Art's exhibition and the upcoming book an Aperture Monograph .
My print remains to be seen as an insider print from within the circle of colleagues and peers collaborating and documenting the work of Diane Arbus during the pivotal time of control taken on by her Estate. This print given to me by Marvin Israel, is indeed authentic, significant, and validated by the Estate of Diane Arbus as to be as stated above. The print is a real period authentic print made by Neil Selkirk while working on the 1972 MOMA retrospective show of her work and the book an Aperture Monograph Diane Arbus collaboration of Marvin Israel and Doon Arbus.
Sincerely
Jane Greenberg