Mike Disfarmer
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Mike Disfarmer (1884-1959) was a major American photographer whose portraits of rural Arkansans, done in his own eccentric American Gothic style, have been described as works of "a visual genius" (Village Voice). Born Mike Meyers, he changed his surname to Disfarmer to break with his family's agrarian roots, the first move in a maverick career that embraced both obscurity and a rigorous aesthetic.[citation needed] Disfarmer maintained a portrait studio in his hometown of Heber Springs, Arkansas, and photographed members of the local community for small fees.[citation needed] But his "penny portraits" were far more than mere keepsake photographs. Employing a stark realism and often lengthy, unnervingly mute sitting sessions, Disfamer produced a consistent stream of portaits that strip his subjects into an uncannny intimacy.[citation needed] His photographs capture the essence of a particular community in a particular time with piercing solemnity and a touching simplicity. His reclusive lifestyle has left many details of his life obscure or uncertain.
