Biography
A photographer and film maker, Chester Monroe Kessler, was born in New Melle, Missouri on May 6, 1919. He moved to Southern California, first pursuing studies in photography at the Art Center School and later in film making and animation at the University of Southern California. In San Francisco he continued developing his photographic technique under Minor White at the California School of Fine Art. During his life he completed four films and captured portraits of celebrated artists, such as Kenneth Patchen, Jonathan William, Bob Kaufman, David Stacton, and Kenneth Anger.
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Completed films:
- The Plague Summer. 1951; an animated film based on Kenneth Patchen's novel 'The Journal of Albion Moonlight'.
- Columbarium. 1973; a sequence of images filmed in one of the San Francisco architectural landmarks utilizing Warner Jepson's electronic music as a soundtrack .
- Rondo. 1976; a portrayal of the Huntington Square cut to the music of Lou Harrison's Suite for violin, piano and small orchestra.
- Go. 1976; footage of dancing hippies taken in two rock concert held in five year interval at the Speedway Meadows in 1969 and Marx Meadows in 1974.
On his 60th birthday, May 16th 1979, Chester Kessler passed away.
From the guide to the Chester Kessler Papers, 1951-1952, (University of California, Santa Cruz. University Library. Special Collections and Archives)
