The Bay Citizen‘s Culture Editor/Writer Reyhan Harmanci just put out a nice piece called Adams Appraiser Has a Tarnished Past over the weekend. Of course, San Francisco’s very own Ansel Adams, born at 114 Maple in the Western Addition, has been in the news lately, so Reyhan, along with Eve Abrams in New Orleans and Jackson Musker in Los Angeles, looked into things.
The result of their research is making waves. Check out art dealer David W. Streets‘ website now, where he goes on the attack against the New York Times (which republishes some parts of The Bay Citizen.)
But don’t go and say, gee, maybe all the stuff produced by those who stand to profit might not add up to “undisputed evidence,” maybe those plates aren’t $200 million worth of Ansel Adams negatives. Why? ‘Cause you’ll get this kind of reply.
Anyway, here’s the gritty nitty, below, from Mr. Streets hisself. (I made it seven words before detecting a falsehood.)
Anyway, good job Reyhan!
“Regarding the photos:
While I have never hid my past and have always operated in the public eye, it hurts me that the New York Times finds it necessary to dredge up an isolated episode in my life that does not reflect who I am and what I have become.
For some unknown reason, the New York Times intends to publish an article about a chapter in my life nearly 20 years ago when I was suffering from untreated manic depression. My mother, who suffered from the same disorder, committed suicide when I was 15 and my father died the following year. Without a strong family support system, I experienced a terrible chapter in my life that led to criminal charges which were ultimately dismissed and expunged. I took complete responsibility and learned from that experience.
Throughout my career I have had the privilege and honor of giving back to the communities that have supported me personally and professionally. I was appointed to the Mayor’s Advisory Counsel for the Arts in New Orleans and in 2004, the City of New Orleans proclaimed a David W. Streets Day. Since relocating after Hurricane Katrina, I have been an active member of the business community including serving on the President’s Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Board of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, and the Beverly Hills Economic Development Commission and the Beverly Hills Cultural Arts Commission (for which I wrote the Beverly Hills Cultural Plan). I have been an active fundraiser for the Israel Cancer Research Fund, a supporter of the Zimmer Children’s Museum (part of the Jewish Federation), a fundraiser for the residents of The Motion Picture Home and was the organizer of “A View From The Streets” art show at All Saint Episcopal Church. My charitable and community activities were part of my effort to make amends for this chapter of my life and have helped me to live a meaningful life.
It was painful enough for my closest friends and clients when the Managing Trustee of the Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust compared me and those involved in the dispute to Adolf Hitler. I am deeply saddened that so much effort and resources continue to be expended on these same personal attacks against me, rather than focusing on whether a missing link in the portfolio of a great American artist has been uncovered.