E.J. Bellocq

OF FRENCH CREOLE DESCENT, E.J.BELLOCQ WAS BROUGHT UP IN NEW ORLEANS WHERE HE FORMED A CAREER AS A COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER FOR A LOCAL SHIPBUILDER. IN PRIVATE, THOUGH, HE WAS MORE INTERESTED IN RECORDING IMAGES OF THE CHINATOWN OPIUM DENS AND WORKING WOMEN IN THE RED-LIGHT DISTRICT IN STORYVILLE.

THESE WERE NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL 1966 WHEN THE PHOTOGRAPHER LEE FRIEDLANDER CAME ACROSS THE GLASS NEGATIVES IN A LOCAL BOOKSHOP. SOME OF THESE, EXCLUSIVELY OF WOMEN, WERE EXHIBITED BY THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART IN NEW YORK IN 1970 AND PUBLISHED IN A BOOK WITH A FORWARD BY SUSAN SONTAG IN 1990.

LOUIS MALLE’S FILM, PRETTY BABY, IS BASED ON BELLOCQ’S WORK, AND A PUBLIC GALLERY IN LOUISIANA WAS NAMED IN HIS HONOUR.