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INTRODUCTIONTheNewJerseyStateMuseumhaslongbeencommittedtopresentingtheworkofNewJerseysvisualartists.ThroughtheNewJerseyArtistSerieswehighlighttheextraordinarydiversityandvitalityofourstatesartistsandreinforcethevalueofartinourlives.TheSeriesalsoallowstheartiststohavetheirworkseenbyawiderangeofvisitorssomewhovisitspecicallytoviewtheirworksandotherswhomayhavecomeforourexhibitionsandprogramsinscienceorhistorybutdiscoverartandartiststheymaynothaveencounteredotherwise.WenowhavethetremendousopportunityofsharingtheworkofJonNaar.Naarsphotographyhasbeenexhibitedinternationallybuthashadlittleexposurehereinthestatehenowcallshome.AresidentofTrentonNewJerseyformorethanadecadeNaarhasafascinatingandexpansivehistoryofhisown.BorninLondonin1920hewaseducatedattheMillHillSchooltheSorbonnetheUniversityofViennaLondonUniversityandColumbiaUniversitywhereheearnedanMAinpoliticalscienceandinternationalrelationsaswellasacerticatefromtheRussianInstitute.TrainedasalinguistNaarservedasaMajorinBritishIntelligenceandSpecialOperationsduringWorldWarII.Bythelate1950shewasworkingininternationalmarketingbuthadpurchasedanEastGerman35mmsingle-reexPrakticacamerawhichheusedmostlyonweekendsaroundtheGreenwichVillageneighborhoodwherehethenlived.Meetingswithphotographersandgalleristswhoencouragedhiseffortsprovidedmotivationtocontinuehisinterestinphotography.ButitwasanintroductiontothegroundbreakingphotographerAndrKertszthatcementedhiswilltopursuephotographyasaprofession.AfterKertszreviewedNaarsportfolioNaaraskedShouldIbecomeaphotographerKertszrepliedCheramituyesdjDearfriendyouareonealreadyAndsowearetherecipientsoftheextraordinaryimagesandmomentswhichJonNaarhasrecordedthroughthecameraslensoverthepastftyyears.AphotojournalistaneartistandachroniclerofhistimeNaarhascapturedsomanyofthepeopleplacesandculturalsignpostsofthesecondhalfofthetwentiethcenturyandnowinhisearlyninetiesshowsnosignsofslowingdown.OnbehalfoftheNewJerseyStateMuseumsBoardofTrusteesandtheFriendsoftheNewJerseyStateMuseumitismypleasuretoextendcongratulationstoJonNaarfortheextraordinarybodyofworkwhichhehasallowedustosharewithourvisitors.Weareallthericherforsharinghisvision.ANTHONYGARDNERExecutiveDirectorNewJerseyStateMuseum