Ellen Curlee Gallery: 8 December 2006

Vintage New York at the Ellen Curlee Gallery, December 8, 2006 to January 27, 2007.
Opening Reception: Friday, December 8, 2006 6-9 pm.

Please join us for the opening of Vintage New York, a selection of vintage black and white photographs capturing the hubbub and excitement of New York streets in the 1940’s and 50’s.

The show, curated together with New York gallerist Bonni Benrubi includes works by Andreas Feininger, Fernand Fonssagrives, Benn Mitchell and Louis Stettner.

Andreas Feininger trained as an architect and used a camera as a reference aid in creating his buildings. He eventually turned his full attention to photography and sold his first photograph in 1932. In 1943 he became a staff photographer for Life Magazine where he completed more than 430 assignments in a 20-year span. His photographs reflect his love for all aspects of the city, the architecture and the people as well as the cars and the traffic jams. His photographs are in the collection of many major museums, including the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Fernand Fonssagrives was born near Paris, France in 1910 and was one of the most revered practitioners of “Beauty Photography”. He was married to the legendary beauty Lisa Fonssagrives, who went on to marry Irving Penn. Fonssagrives’ eye for shape, form and beauty made him a popular fashion photographer in the 40’s and 50’s, when he took pictures for Town and Country Magazine and Harper’s Bazaar.

Benn Mitchell was born in New York City in 1926, and sold his first photograph to Life Magazine at the age of 16. At 17, armed with a letter of recommendation from Life to Warner Brothers, he went to Hollywood to photograph stars on the sets. In 1948, he started his own commercial studio in New York City. Through his eyes, Mitchell captured the wonderful era that was New York City in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. Today, his work is published all over the world in advertising, books and major magazines. His work is also widely exhibited and included in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Louis Stettner began photographing as a teenager. He studied and taught at the Photo League and went to Paris after the Second World War. He soon returned to make some of the best images of New York. Now in his 80s, he continues to photograph with undiminished vigor. His work is in the collection of major museums, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The Ellen Curlee Gallery is located at 1308-A Washington Avenue in the Washington Avenue loft district. Hours are 11:00am to 6pm Tuesday-Saturday and 11:00am to 9pm on First Fridays, the first Friday of each month. Tel: (314) 241-1299