McIntosh, John. McIntosh. April 21 - June 17, 1979.

Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1979. Photography at the Corcoran series. Wraps, 20 pages, 6 tipped-in color plates depicting household items, employing collage. Checklist of 51 items. Essay by Jane Livingston. Edition of 1,500 copies. [John McIntosh graduated with an M.F.A. degree from Yale University in 1977.] Fine. 

John Balfour McIntosh is an American fine art photographer and educator known for his conceptual work in altered imagery and physical collage. After earning an M.F.A. degree from Yale University in 1977, McIntosh rose to prominence in the late 1970s with his distinctive compositions of altered materials and arranged household objects, subverting everyday consumer items into abstract visual statements. His innovative approach was featured in a 1979 solo exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as part of the Photography at the Corcoran series. McIntosh has since expanded his career into academic leadership and digital arts education, serving in roles such as Vice-Dean of the School of Creativity and Art at ShanghaiTech University.

McIntosh is a photography exhibition catalog documenting a solo showcase by American photographer John Balfour McIntosh that ran from April 21 through June 17, 1979. Part of the Photography at the Corcoran series, this publication features an introductory essay by the prominent museum curator and art historian Jane Livingston.

Key Focus Areas

• The Artistic Subject: The catalog highlights McIntosh’s unique approach to conceptual photography, utilizing a total checklist of 51 exhibition items. The imagery centers on meticulously composed arrangements of mundane household and utilitarian items, exploring the visual textures of domestic life.

• The Collage Medium: Rather than relying purely on traditional, unedited darkroom prints, the featured imagery relies heavily on the art of collage. McIntosh physically alters, cuts, and layers materials within his frames to subvert ordinary consumer goods into abstract visual statements.

• The Presentation: Reflecting the high-caliber production of the Corcoran's series, the catalog features a comprehensive artist chronology alongside six high-quality, tipped-in color plates that accurately preserve the rich colors and subtle, physical textures of the original collage works.