The unknown Penson
Subtitle: the archive of the photographer's daughter
By: Dina Khodjaeva
Contributors: Khodjaeva, Dina
Publisher: D.M. Khodjaeva; Media Land
Published: 2005
Place of publication: Tashkent
Language: rus
Number of pages: 253
Subjects: Photography; History; Pictorial works
Other titles: Neizvestnyĭ Penson
Notes: Chiefly ill.

An exhibition of photo works of Max Penson, the famous master of photography, opened at the Tashkent House of Photography The master is known throughout the world. His work - photoportrait "Uzbek Madonna" was awarded a Grand-prix and a gold medal in Paris in 1938. Photo works "Farceur", "Master", "Sage" and many others, which are the visit cards of the artist, are known to many. However, the major part of photographs was not presented to the public, and this includes thousands and thousands of pictures. The master lived by the rule "Not a day without a film". In the period of over 25 years of active creative life M. Penson was never on vacation and worked without holidays. And so, thanks to the laborious, almost half a century long work of his daughter Dina Penson-Khojaeva and her husband Fayzulla Khojaev - a famous film documentalist, the works were collected (saved during the earthquake in 1966) and restored. During these days 160 previously unknown works are presented at the exhibition. They reflect the boisterous life of constructing a socialist sate after the revolution in 1917. The period was difficult in all aspects of the history of USSR and Uzbekistan, when people experienced losses, broke stereotypes, survived tragedies. And, nevertheless, there is a large number of happy people on M. Penson's photographs. Photographs radiate inner light, they are charged with the energy of personages. The photographs do not just take us to those distant years, but also teach us. The photographer opened up the souls of heroes of the pictures in front of us. Therefore, the works' names are simple: "Mothers studying", "New purchases", "Lullaby", "Wise men" and others.

M. Penson had four children. Three of them followed in their father's footsteps. This is understandable. His daughter Dina Penson-Khojaeva recalls: "We simple bathed in photographs. Woke up in the morning and saw - the entire apartment is hanged all over with photographs". Dina Penson is a master of photography herself. She worked on television for over 35 years, traveled many countries of the world with a camera. She kindly agreed to cooperate with our magazine and in the next issues more Max Penson's and Dina Penson-Khojaeva's photographs will be published. Information Max Penson. Born on 15th March 1893, in Vilij (present Byelorussia). Son of a poor bookbinder. Completed a 4-year city college owing to his purposefulness and effort. Was accepted to the drawing school named after S.N. Yujanin in Vilnus. In 1914 he moved to Turkestan. Lived in Kokand. Worked as an art and sketching teacher in an Uzbek school. Married in 1922. His wife, Elizabeth assumed the household affairs and took care of children, giving her husband an opportunity to create. M.Penson was awarded a prize - camera for accelerated work. In 1927 he was enrolled into the staff of the Republican newspaper "Pravda Vostoka" (East's truth). His works were published in Soviet magazines and newspapers - "Pravda" (Truth), "Izvestiya" (News) and others. He died on 19th June, 1959 in Tashkent.

In Russian and English.