MA-g
The Museum of Avant-garde

Alvin Langdon Coburn

USA (1882—1966)

American born Coburn discovered his love for photography at very early age, thanks to a Kodak camera as birthday gift. His talent was immediately recognised by his contemporary well known photographers. In 1902 at the age of 20, Coburn had already opened his studio in New York and would become soon after a member of Photo Secession and The Linked Ring, both influential associations of photographers highly regarded in US and in UK. He moved to London in 1912 and created his Vortographs, inspired by the Vorticism and his new interest in abstraction. In these years he also discovered mysticism, metaphysics and Druidism. By 1930 he decided to abandon photography and donated most of his films. He was awarded by the Royal Photographic Society. He spent the rest of his life in Wales, until his death in 1966.