The Group for Mutual Improvement

The black and white photographs in The Group For Mutual Improvement were taken in a vacant lot behind photographer Jordan Baumgarten’s home in Philadelphia.

Over a period of 10 years, Baumgarten and his neighbours spent much of their time together in this lot. His book is a document of these gatherings.

The title is drawn from the Junto, also known as the Leather Apron Club-- a diverse group of individuals Benjamin Franklin brought together in colonial era Philadelphia for the purpose of mutual improvement. They would gather in a tavern to debate questions of morals, politics, current events, philosophy, and local businesses. Baumgarten’s group was much less formal but the discussions no less vital.

Jordan Baumgarten (born Philadelphia 1983) graduated with a BFA in photography from The University of the Arts, Philadelphia and an MFA in Photography from the Rhode Island School of Design. The recipient of numerous grants and awards, Baumgarten’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in two-person and juried group exhibitions. His work has been included in publications such as the British Journal of Photography, Vice, Dazed, Pop-Up Magazine and The New York Times amongst others. His monographs include Briar Patch (Parts and Labor 2013), Good Sick (GOST 2018) and Family Tree Removal (Smog Press 2023). In 2021, after a decade in academia, Baumgarten left teaching to become a pizza maker.