Alex Gurian reviews Duane Michals

Duane Michals, born February 18, 1932, is an American photographer known for his work using photo sequences and often including hand-written text in the images. He became interested in art at age 14 while attending watercolor classes. After getting a B.A. from University of Denver, he spent two years in the Army before studying at the Parsons School of Design for graphic design, though he did not finish. He has said his photographic skills are self-taught, and he found his interest in photography while on a trip to the USSR in 1958. Text plays an important part in his works. He uses text to convey what the images alone cannot. The text also frequently gives the viewer context they would not have otherwise had.