Garry Winogrand’s (1928-1984) best-known photographic work are black and white snapshots of New York street life. His photographs are considered iconic and a time-capsule of a begone an era, the 60s and the 70s. The Brooklyn Museum has curated an exhibit that offers a new frame of reference for Winograd’s work, one in vivid colors. With “Color” (May 3, 2019 to December 8, 2019) the museum introduces visitors to this lush but rarely exhibited body of work.
The centerpiece of the exhibit is a dark hall where large scale slide-like images are projected onto the walls. Over 400 images cycle through at a slow, hypnotic pace; Viewers are encouraged to take their time, to sit down and observe the colorful spectacle. In the luminescent projections, small elusive stories unfold; they depict scenes from the every-day and reveal the beauty that lies within it. In a side gallery of the exhibit, visitors are presented with a more classic examples of Winogrand’s work but with an educational twist: black and white prints are placed next to color photographs to illustrate the photographer’s compositional tendencies (wait-level action shots) and recurring themes (street life).
As a whole, the exhibit successfully finds a new way of viewing an American standard, one that embraces the full spectrum of colors but stays true to its form.
(Photo Credit: Jonathan Dorado)
Hi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteYour writing is very well-written! I just want you to expand the words in the last part: “photographer’s compositional tendencies and recurring themes.” I thought the words are a little bit broad. Other than that, it looks good to me.
Hi Stephanie
ReplyDeleteI really like the fact the you give background information in the beginning, it is very constructive in the terms of understanding. Also I really like your ending too, the ending is poetic and perfectly summarize the artist's theme of work and your own review. I do wish there are smaller paragraphs rather than a big paragraph though.