Ed Willis Barnett

Edward Willis Barnett (born May 8, 1899 in Atlanta, Georgia; died November 8, 1987 in Birmingham) was an officer in the U.S. Navy, World War I veteran, Olympic fencer, and art photographer.

Barnett enrolled as a freshman at the University of Alabama in 1913, but left to serve in France during World War I. He attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland from 1917 to 1920. As an accomplished fencer with the epee, he competed in the 1928 summer Olympics in Amsterdam for the United States, but won only one match.

During his travels, Barnett became interested in photography. He became acquainted with art photographer Man Ray while living in Paris' Montparnasse district. Through him, Barnett joined an expatriate circle that included Ford Madox Ford, Gertrude Stein, Guy Pene du Bois and Marcel Duchamp. He also made use of some of Man Ray's technical innovations while serving at sea during World War II. Back home in Alabama, Barnett built his own studio and darkroom and photographed nature and cultural subjects.

Barnett's skills as an art photographer were recognized by the Photographic Society of America and the Federation Internationale d'Art Photographique. His prints have been acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, as well as by the Seattle Art Museum, and the Kodak Camera Club picture collection. The Birmingham Museum of Art held a solo exhibition of his work in December 1975 to January 1976.

Barnett founded the Alabama Museum of Photography and the Alabama International Exhibition of Photography.

Barnett died in 1987. He was survived by his wife, Lula.

References

• "Selected Photographs by Ed Willis Barnett" exhibit program (December 1975) Birmingham, Alabama: Birmingham Museum of Art
• Sartorius, Tara Lady (September 2009) "Ship Shape" Art and Activities - accessed November 14, 2015
• "Edward Willis Barnett" (December 27, 2018) Wikipedia - accessed December 28, 2018