Elsa Dorfman with the Polaroid 20×24 camera. There are only six of these cameras in the world. The image is 23″x36″ and is of course in that wonderful Polaroid color. photos c. Elsa Dorfman
Allen met Elsa Dorfman in 1959 when she was working at Grove Press and was arranging poetry readings for Grove’s poets, including Charles Olson, Robert Duncan, Michael McClure, Philip Whalen, Denise Levertov, Joel Oppenheimer, and Edward Field. She kept close with these poets, and continued to book readings when she returned to her home-town, Cambridge, where, in the late ’60s, she took up photography. Her website is chock-full of genius portraits in her entirely-unique style, and tells her story much better than our little attempt above, so, bounce on over to ElsaDorfman.com, and explore her world
Harvey Silverglate, Elsa Dorfman, Allen Ginsberg, December 21, 1995. c. Elsa Dorfman