PAOLA GIANTURCO An Oral History conducted by Melissa Du STANFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM Stanford University ©2018 Photo: Melissa Du Paola Gianturco Contents Introduction p. 7 Abstract and Topics p. 9 Biography p. 13 Interview Transcripts p. 15 Curriculum Vitae p. 111 Interviewer Biography p. 113 5 6 Introduction This oral history was conducted by the Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program in collaboration with the Stanford University Archives. The program is under the direction of the Oral History Committee of the Stanford Historical Society. The Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program furthers the Society’s mission “to foster and support the documentation, study, publication, dissemination, and preservation of the history of the Leland Stanford Junior University.” The program explores the institutional history of the University, with an emphasis on the transformative post-WWII period, through interviews with leading faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and others. The interview recordings and transcripts provide valuable additions to the existing collection of written and photographic materials in the Stanford University Archives. Oral history is not a final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a unique, reflective, spoken account, offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it may be deeply personal. Each oral history is a reflection of the past as the interviewee remembers and recounts it. But memory and meaning vary from person to person; others may recall events differently. Used as primary source material, any one oral history will be compared with and evaluated in light of other evidence, such as contemporary texts and other oral histories, in arriving at an interpretation of the past. Although the interviewees have a past or current connection with Stanford University, they are not speaking as representatives of the University. Each transcript is edited by program staff and by the interviewee for grammar, syntax, and occasional inaccuracies and to aid in overall clarity and readability--but is not fact-checked as such. The approach is to maintain the substantive content of the interview as well as the interviewee’s voice. As a result of this editing process, the transcript may not match the recording verbatim. If a substantive deletion has been made, this is generally indicated at the relevant place on the transcript. Substantive additions are noted in brackets or by footnote. 7 All uses of the interview transcripts and recordings are covered by a legal agreement between the interviewee and the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (“Stanford”). The copyright to the transcripts and recordings, including the right to publish, is reserved by Stanford University. The transcripts and recordings are freely made available for non-commercial purposes, with proper citation provided in print or electronic publication. No part of the transcripts or recordings may be used for commercial purposes without the written permission of the Stanford University Archivist or his/her representative. Requests for commercial use should be addressed to [email protected] and should indicate the items to be used, extent of usage, and purpose. This oral history should be cited as: Gianturco, Paola. (2018). Oral History. Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program Interviews (SC0932). Department of Special Collections & University Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif. 8 Abstract and Topics In this oral history, Paola Gianturco (BA History 1961) discusses her family background, her undergraduate years at Stanford, her experiences in the advertising business from the 1960s to the 1990s, and her work as an author and photographer of books about women. Topics covered include her work as the corporate communications director at the Joseph Magnin department stores; her experience as a principal at Hall & Levine Advertising, the first advertising agency in America led by women and one renowned for its women-focused campaigns; and her time as a corporate vice president at Saatchi & Saatchi. Gianturco also describes her transition to a second career as a documentary photojournalist and recalls the experiences she had making each of her six books about women around the world. Part 1 p. 15 [00:00:00 – 00:30:00] Childhood in Urbana, Illinois • Paternal family’s immigration from Italy • Importance of education in her family and community • Father’s work in medicine • Applying to Stanford • Interest in history • Father’s personal conflict about serving in the US Army Medical Corps during World War II against his Italian family • Stanford Quad Queen • Feeling like an outcast in high school contrasted to being accepted at Stanford • Interest in advertising and marketing research • Career aspirations of female students at Stanford • Observations on the beginning of the women’s movement and the impact of the book Mrs. Bridge (1959) on her thinking • First job at Joseph Magnin in San Francisco • Story of meeting with Cyril Magnin and her promotion to corporate public relations director at Joseph Magnin [00:30:01 – 01:01:20] Move to Southern California • Working from home when her son was young • Working at Hall & Levine Advertising, a women-owned advertising agency • Women’s lack of representation in advertising and communications • Advertising to women by women • Recollection of role models Joan Levine and Adrienne Hall • Los Angeles art scene in the late 1960s • Transition to Saatchi & Saatchi advertising and meeting her third husband, David Hill there • Sexism and working in a male-dominated workplace • Criticism and support after writing and delivering “Rules of the Game” speech at a women’s executive leadership conference 9 [01:01:21 – 01:25:25] Support and mentorship from David Hill • Career at Saatchi & Saatchi advertising • Marriage and working relationship with David Hill during the 1980s and 1990s • Recollections of a corporate image campaign for papermaker Boise Cascade • Working with David on a book about Guatemala and the decision to make it a bilingual book • Awareness of the women’s movement and the sexual revolution in the 1960s • Advertising to women in the 1960s • Memories of some advertising campaigns, including a memorable shoot for a Catalina Swimwear campaign in Tahiti Part 2 p. 51 [00:00:00 – 00:30:04] Transitioning out of role at Saatchi & Saatchi • Taking women’s studies courses at Stanford in the 1990s • Importance of access to the Stanford libraries for independent research • Teaching a course on women and leadership at Mills College and Stanford Institute for Research on Women and Gender at Stanford • Research released at 1995 United Nation’s Fourth World Conference on Women spawns her desire to document craftswomen around the world • Decision to leave advertising and business for photography • Women’s crafts and craftswomen • Research, travel, photographing, and interviewing craftswomen for In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing Our World • Taking photography classes with professionals, including Alex Webb [00:30:05 – 00:57:15] Challenges of composing multilayer photographs • Support from women’s writing group in San Francisco • Challenges of working with publishing companies and sound advice from agent Judith Joseph • Getting Alice Walker to write the book’s forward • Effect of segment about In Her Hands on the Oprah Winfrey show • Craftswomen in Zalipie, Poland • Craftswomen in Gujarat, India, and idea for second book on festivals celebrating women • Strategies for establishing credentials in her new field, including involvement with the Crafts Center in Washington, DC, and the Association of Women in Development Part 3 p. 77 10 [00:00:00 – 00:29:54] Idea for second book, Celebrating Women, in India • Matriarchal societies in India and Peru, and the effects on men • Travels to the West Indies, Sweden, Spain, and Morocco for research • Travelling in Nepal during a political crisis in 2008 • Bridging cultural gaps and gaining trust • Trips to Guatemala and inspiration for third book, ¡Viva Colores!: A Salute to the Indomitable People of Guatemala • Decision to write a bilingual book • Fourth book Women Who Light the Dark about women heading NGOs • Travel to Zimbabwe to meet with members of the Girls Empowerment Network founded by Betty Makoni • Overcoming personal inhibitions in photography • Evolution of personal photography technique and style • How advertising career helped photography career [00:29:55 – 00:59:49] Book tours, photography exhibits, and publicity • Philanthropic projects related to her books • Inspiration in Africa and Canada for fifth book Grandmother Power • Grandmothers’ activism in society • Research and traveling for sixth book Wonder Girls: Changing Our World • Working with granddaughter Alex Sangster on Wonder Girls • Impact of new digital equipment on her photography [00:59:50 – 01:11:29] Photo exhibit at the World Affairs Council in San Francisco • Working with granddaughter on publicity for Wonder Girls • Aid to Artisans • Grandchildren Avery and Alex • Granddaughters’ launch of Just Kids children’s program at an international poverty conference 11 12 Paola Gianturco Biography Paola Gianturco, an award-winning author and photographer with a longstanding commitment to women’s issues, has documented women’s lives in sixty-two countries with six published books. She has lectured about women’s issues in the US, Canada, France, the United Arab Emirates, and Spain. Speaking engagements include