David Hartt: Stray Light

David Hartt: Stray Light 10.5 x 9 inches 112 Pages Designer: James Goggin ISBN: 978-1935195436 Publisher: Columbia College Chicago Press (August, 2013) David Hartt’s images explore the social, cultural, political, and economic complexities of the subjects he captures. Stray Light surveys the 1971 Johnson Publishing Company building in Chicago, headquarters of the important Black-owned publishing company made famous by its Jet and Ebony magazine titles in addition to its role as a leading arbiter of African American taste and culture during the latter half of the twentieth century. Hartt’s work raises questions about the commingling of the personal and the public, and highlights the narratives and ideologies that underlie the Johnson firm while assessing their lasting impact on today’s society. Hartt was given unprecedented access to the building, much of which retains its ’70s design, apparent in the bright gold accents and vintage see-through furniture. His resulting photographs take