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Peter Costas, a Patriotic Visionary
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16620 |
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Section : |
THE ARTS
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| Issue
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10 / 1989 |
2,022 Words |
| Author
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Alice Thorson
Alice Thorson is an art critic and educator in Washington, D.C. |
From the controversy over the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial to recent public outrage over the Supreme Court's ruling that it is legal to burn the American flag, America's symbols have provided occasion for much expression of sentiment. But while many Americans feel strongly about their symbols, few are endowed with the gift of giving these feelings form. It is this capacity that distinguishes Peter Costas, a Greek-born, Washington, D.C., photographer.
Since his arrival in the District via Ellis Island as a boy of fourteen in 1921, Costas has devoted the better part of a lifetime to recording the unique landscape of the nation's capital. Although relatively few know his name, many have admired his striking and inspirational images of the country's best-loved monuments and symbolic edifices. Over the years, his singular views of the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol Building, and the Supreme Court have frequently appeared on postcards, calendars, and travel brochures.
On occasion, Costas has made the Big Time: In July 1972, his photograph of fireworks exploding over the Washington Monument appeared on the cover of Newsweek; the following November, Business Week chose his iconic rendition of the Capitol dome at night to headline its cover story on Congress. National Geographic, the old Washington Star, the German photography trade journal Zeiss Information, and a number of small local magazines have also published Costas' images of Washington.
Seminal Explorations
If the subject matter of this work immediately recommends it to diverse audiences, equally important is Costas' capacity to capture "more" of his subject than a conventional view. For he is not just a photographer but an inventor, whose seminal explorations in fish-eye and wide-angle technology mark him as a pioneer in the field.
While others simply enjoy the results, photo buffs have for years been intrigued by Costas' unique cameras. Fitting the lens from one camera onto the body of another, combining two, even three cameras into a single unit, Costas has always tailored the camera to his vision, where other photographers tailor their vision to the camera.
By his refusal to accept what others regard as photography's "inherent" limitations, Costas joins a long line of American artists, from Jackson Pollock to Julian Schnabel, to work creative innovations on tools and
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