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Genos Center Founder & Architectural Designer

Douglas Isaac Busch

Douglas Isaac Busch is the Founder of The Genos Center Foundation and Architectural Designer of the Genos Center, a planned multicultural art gallery, non-denominational chapel & reflective water and draught tolerant gardens focused on eradicating genocides through art and education. 

PHOTOGRAPHER . ARTIST . DESIGNER . INVENTOR . TEACHER . GEMOLOGIST . PHILANTHROPIST

Learn More at DouglasBusch.com

About Douglas Isaac Busch

Douglas Isaac Busch (born 1951) is a renowned American photographer, inventor, teacher, and architectural designer who has gained global fame for his pioneering use of the world’s largest portable view cameras with negatives to craft the planet’s biggest photographic contact prints.

From landscapes to cityscapes, nudes to portraits and color photography – his work is diverse in subject matter and can be found in many esteemed institutions like the J. Paul Getty Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Los Angeles County Museum of Art as well as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

Busch’s cutting-edge architecture and resourceful landscaping designs have earned the admiration of high-profile clients, as well as appeared in esteemed publications such as Los Angeles Times, Robb Report, Western Interiors & Design, Open House, and Distinctive Homes.

With an unwavering commitment to the principles of sustainable design and construction, he established pH Living: Healthy Housing Systems – a company that provides homes for people who suffer from environmental allergies and chemical sensitivities. He also innovated Farm in a Box, which is his vertical herb and vegetable production system.

Early Life and Education

Douglas Busch, born and raised in sunny Miami Beach, Florida to Jewish parents William Goldworn and Enid Gottlieb Goldworn, was never shy about expressing his artistic side. While attending high school Douglas Busch served as a photographer for the newspaper which eventually led him to pursue a degree in cinematography, photography, and graphic design at the University of Illinois. There he partook in an independent study program while also assuming the presidency over their photo-cine co-op.

Professional Career

Upon graduating from the University of Illinois in 1970, Busch made his way to Carmel, California, and was an assistant to esteemed photographers Morley Baer and Al Weber. In this capacity, he had the privilege of helping Ansel Adams on Portfolio VI while also aiding Al Weber during workshops throughout the Four Corners area.

Busch’s gemology career kicked off in the jewelry business at Finlay Enterprises, an arm of Seligman and Latz. He began working in the diamond department and after demonstrating his capability was quickly promoted to an assistant within the fine jewelry wing before becoming head of the Globe Store leased fine jewelry department in Scranton, Pennsylvania. After obtaining his diamond degree from the Gemological Institute of America in 1973 he moved back to Rockford, Illinois where he worked for Busch Jewelers; a jewelry business operated by his family.

In 1974, Busch unveiled his debut photography collection, Portfolio I. A dozen years later in 1986, he made the major decision to defect from the jewelry market and pursue a full-time career as a photographer. He created De Golden Busch Inc., a design and manufacturing company of SuperLarge™ cameras, lenses, film holders, print washers plus additional components.

For the next five decades, Busch dedicated himself to a variety of photographic series. In the 1980s, he taught at Victor School in Colorado and created three portfolios: Victor Portfolio with ten 12×20″ prints; Denver Portfolio; and North Central IL Portfolio. His artworks were later showcased at Rockford Art Museum, Fallen Angels Project exhibition, and 510 E. State Street Gallery to name but a few locations.

In 1992, Busch made the move to Los Angeles and created his debut book, “In Plain Sight,” which was subsequently recognized as the best work of the year by a small publisher. Two years later he briefly returned to Illinois for postgraduate photography studies. During this time Busch crossed through both America and Europe while participating in visiting artist programs, teaching workshops, and lecturing. The result of all this travel forged into what is known today as The Farmlands Project.

In May of 2005, Busch and his wife Lori established the No-Strings Foundation. This 501(c)(3) grant-making organization is based in Malibu, California and its primary mission lies was to support photographers across America financially.

 

In the mid-2000s, Busch began constructing homes and has since concluded over 30 projects. To continue his commitment to sustainable architecture and drought tolerant landscape designs, in 2009 he started ecoTECH Design Studio to create carbon-neutral products that would reduce waste while providing nourishment. In addition, the Studio formed an ecoPARK “Greenposium” as part of its mission to educate on sustainability.

In 2011, Douglas Busch initiated pH Living: Healthy Housing Systems. For this endeavor, he collaborated with Lawrence Gust – a certified building biologist and chairman of the board of bau-Biologie and Ecology USA – to create a healthy housing system for those struggling with environmental allergies or chemical sensitivities, as well as anyone seeking out an overall healthier living space.

In April 2010, he had the honor of speaking at Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s international Ninth Annual Forum of the In2:InThinking Network on a major issue that we must prioritize – preserving our planet for future generations and our children.

In 2023, Douglas Busch debuted his plans for a multi-cultural art gallery, non-denominational chapel, and reflective gardens focused on genocide.

  • 2019 Mannheim Museum of Art, Mannheim, Germany: Zuma Foam, Smart Phone Symposium

  • 2019 Bakersfield Museum of Art, Bakersfield, CA: Platinum Photographs

  • 2015 Carnegie Museum of Art, Oxnard, CA: Zuma Foam

  • 2013 Museum der stadt, Dresden, Germany

  • 2012 Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA: Scene on the Street

  • 2010 Gallery 169, Santa Monica, CA: Water

  • 2008 Deutscher Internisten Kongress, Wetzler, Germany

  • 2007 Lumas Gallery, Berlin, Germany

  • 2006 Art Moscow, Russia

  • 2006 Caprice Horn Gallery, Berlin, Germany: Silent Waves

  • 2006 Dortort Center for Creativity in the Arts, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

  • 2006 Vertretung des Landes Rheinland-Pfalz und der Europaischen Union, Berlin, Germany: Vestiges

  • 2006 Mainz Museum, Mainz, Germany: Vestiges

  • 2006 Museum fuer Europaische Gartenbaukunst, Dūsseldorf, Germany: Italian Gardens

  • 2006 Landes Museum Koblenz, Festung Ehrenbreitstein, Germany: Vestiges

  • 2005 Hack Museum, Ludwigshafen, Germany: Retrospective

  • 2005 Maison de l’Archéologie, Niederbronn-les-Bains, France: Vestiges

  • 2005 Buró Trifels, Annweiler am Trifels, Germany: Vestiges

  • 2005 Dortort Center for Creativity in the Arts, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

  • 2000 Focus Gallery, Carmel, CA

  • 1999 Mannheim City Gallery, Mannheim, Germany

  • 1999 Group V, Braunfeld, Germany

  • 1998 Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA

  • 1998 Group V, Braunfeld, Germany

  • 1997 Photo Classics Gallery, Munich, Germany

  • 1997 Lotus Gallery, Salzburg, Austria

  • 1996 451 Gallery, Rockford, IL

  • 1996 Borrone Gallery, Menlo Park, CA

  • 1995 Fact Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA

  • 1995 Linderman Gallery, Germany

  • 1994 G.Ray Hawkins Gallery, Santa Monica, CA

  • 1994 X-ibit Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • 1992 Steven Cohen Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • 1991 Earl McGrath Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • 1990 Art Services, San Francisco, CA

  • 1990 X-ibit Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • 1989 James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

  • 1989 City Hall, Rockford, IL

  • 1989 Weiss-Morris Gallery, Rockford, IL

  • 1989 Gallery Ten, Rockford, IL

  • 1988 Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL

  • 1988 Freeport Art Museum, Freeport, IL

  • 1988 Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL

  • 1988 Union League Club, Chicago, IL

  • 1988 JR. Kortman Gallery, Rockford, IL

  • 1987 Ida Public Library, Belvidere, IL

  • 1987 Denver Chamber of Commerce, Denver, CO

  • 1987 United Banks of Colorado, Denver, CO

  • 1986 Florissant Valley College, St. Louis, MO

  • 1986 Carson-Sapiro Gallery, Denver, CO

  • 1986 Fermilabs, Chicago, IL

  • 1986 A-Space Gallery, Madison, WI

  • 1986 University of Maine, Portland, ME

  • 1985 Burpee Art Museum, Rockford, IL

  • 1985 Viterbo College, LaCrosse, WI

  • 1984 Tracy Felix Gallery, Colorado Springs, CO

  • 1984 Victor School of Photography, Victor, CO

  • 2019 Biennale für aktuelle Fotografie, Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim, Germany: Smart as Photography

  • 2013 Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA: The Vernon Collection

  • 2013 Rockford Museum of Art, Rockford, Illinois: Through the Ages: 100 years of RAM

  • 2012 Lumas Galleries; Hamburg, Germany; Stuttgart, Germany; and Paris, France: Horizons

  • 2009 Tarryn Teresa Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • 2009 Dogtown Station, Venice, CA: artHAUS 2009

  • 2008 University of Indiana, Bloomington, IN

  • 2007 Rustic Canyon, CA: Breaking the Waves

  • 2002 Cedar Rapids Art Museum, Cedar Rapids, IA: A Century of Photography

  • 2000 Pasadena City College, Pasadena, CA

  • 1989 Art in the Embassies, Washington, DC

  • 1989 Busch Gallery, Rockford, IL

  • 1988 Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC

  • 1988 Art Institute, Chicago, IL

  • 1987 Camera Obscura Gallery, Denver, CO

  • 1986 US Department of State, Washington, DC

  • 1985 The Lloyd Gallery, Spokane, WA

  • 1985 The Architectural Center, Chicago, IL

  • Carnegie Museum of Art, Oxnard, CA

  • Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA

  • Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO

  • Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • George Eastman House, Rochester, NY

  • Grinnell College Art Museum, Grinnell, IA

  • Illinois State Library, Springfield, IL

  • J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA

  • Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA

  • Museum of Contemporary Art, Atlanta, GA

  • MOCA, Los Angeles, CA

  • Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego, CA

  • Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME

  • University of California, Santa Cruz, CA

  • The Best Company

  • Cedars-Sinai Hospital

  • City Club-Atlanta, Georgia

  • Eastman Kodak Corp.

  • General Litho

  • Irvine Corporation

  • Jannes Arts Publishing Co.

  • Kodak Corporation

  • Liebovich Steel Corp.

  • McDonalds Corp.

  • Polaroid Corporation

  • Rodenstock Optical Corp.

  • Seven Jeans

  • St. Frances Hospital

  • YWCA Los Angeles Education Building

  • Ziffren and Ziffren

  • 2019 Appropriated Berlin: Dead Like You (Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2019 China Observations: Interested Indifference (Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2019 Holistic Architecture: Trancas Project (Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2019 Much Ado About Nothing: Notes in Passing (Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2019 Suggestive Nature (Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2019 Zuma Foam, with poems by Florence Weinberger (Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2012 Scene on the Street (Nazraeli Press / Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Paso Robles, CA)

  • 2009 Appropriated Berlin, Limited Edition of 10 original photographs and stand

  • 2008 Silent Waves, Limited Edition of 10 original photographs and stand

  • 2007 Silent Waves, Limited Edition (The Photo Department, Malibu, CA)

  • 2006 California Gardens (Wade Publishing, London, UK)

  • 2006 Cruising Miami (Braus Editions, Germany, and Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2006 Vestiges (Braus Editions, Germany, and Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2006 Flesh as Canvas (Braus Editions, Germany, and Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2006 Fallen Angels (Braus Editions, Germany, and Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2006 Self Subject (Braus Editions, Germany, and Paper Mirror Press, Chicago, IL)

  • 2006 Italian Gardens (Braus Editions, Germany)

  • 2005 Retrospective: From Miami to Malibu (Braus Editions, Germany)

  • 2005 Vestiges (Lindemanns Verlay, Stuttgart, Germany)

  • 1994 Tides in Time (The Photo Department, Santa Monica, CA)

  • 1992 In Plain Sight (The Photo Department, Rockford, IL)

  • British Journal of Photography

  • Camera Arts

  • Chicago Tribune

  • Darkroom Photography

  • Die Rheinpfalz (Germany)

  • Fortune

  • Foto and Labor (Germany)

  • HGTV Design Challenge

  • International Photo Techniques

  • Modern Photography

  • New York Times

  • Photo District News

  • Photo Eidolo (Greece)

  • Photo Vision

  • Popular Photography

  • Robb Report

  • Western Interiors