Late Developer: Thomas Merton's Discovery of Photography as a Medium for His Contemplative Vision

Abstract

In the final years of his life Merton discovered a passion for photography. In Merton's hands the camera became a tool for natural contemplation. Strong critiques of the photographic gaze have since been developed, by Susan Sontag and others, dismissing it as objectifying and predatory. However, such critiques overlook the sheer diversity of photography as a medium, and are not applicable to Merton's photography which truly reflected his profound contemplative vision. Merton's photography should not be seen as simply a biographical coda, but as an abiding example of the capacity of photography and contemplation to mutually enrich each other.

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