The Radical Camera: New York's Photo League, 1936-1951

Along with my affection for the writing of Anton Chekhov and Ian Frazier, the music of Gustav Mahler and Charles Mingus, the songs of Bob Dylan and the basketball of Bill Russell,  I have a love for the work of American documentarian photographers like Dorothea Lange (and her roadside dog stand, as shown above.)

The work of many other documentarians was on view at The Jewish Museum, in New York, November 4, 2011 to March 25, 2012. The exhibition, reviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle, has also made a stop at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, in San Francisco, October 11, 2012 to January 21, 2013. Here's a sample of what lucky visitors will see. 

Weegee (born Arthur Fellig) (American, b. Poland, 1899-1968)

Max Is Rushing in the Bagels to a Restaurant
 on Second Avenue for the Morning Trade,

c. 1940

Ruth Orkin (American, 1921-1985)Times Square, from Astor Hotel,c. 1950

Rebecca Lepkoff (American, 1916--) 

Broken Window on South Street, New York,

c.1948

The New York Times has more to say about this exhibition. You can also find many photographs from the exhibition at The Daily Mail.


Nearer to home is the Getty and their wonderful photography collection. Sarah Hamil--Thank You, Sarah!--formerly of English 1C drew attention to a photography exhibition that was last on view at the Getty Center in March 2012. It was Lyonel Feininger, Photographs, 1928-1939, an exhibition the Getty calls "the first comprehensive overview of photographs by one of the most important artists of the 20th century."  The Getty regularly schedules important photography exhibitions.  See what they have now: The photographs of Ray K. Metzger and the Institute of Design. 

Lyonel Feininger (American, 1871-1956)

Untitled (Street Scene, Double Exposure, Halle)

1929-1930