Arty photo gallery shows in Manhattan
"Handlanger (Bricklayer)," a 1928 photograph by August Sander, is part of the exhibit "August Sander and Seydou Keïta: Portraiture and Social Identity" at the Walther Collection Project Space" in Manhattan through Jan. 23, 2012. Credit: Die Photographische Sammlung
Some classic photographs are on exhibit at New York galleries this month, if you know where to look for them. Here are three shows we can direct you to with enthusiasm.
1. AUGUST SANDER & SEYDOU KEÏTA
WHAT This exhibition pairs two masterful portrait photographers. Sander's "Face of Our Time" portfolio depicts a range of ordinary Germans -- farmers, tradesmen, students, artists and families, in the 1910s and '20s. West African photographer Keïta shot studio portraits in Bamako, the capital of Mali, during the 1940s and '50s, and his sitters show off their fancy clothes, jewelry and radios. Both photographers give an intimate look at their societies, and the photos even echo one another -- pairs of twins, gangs of youths and so forth.
WHEN | WHERE Thursdays to Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m., through Jan. 7. The Walther Collection Project Space, 526 W. 26th St., suite 718
INFO Free, 212-352-0683, walthercollection.com
2. HANNES SCHMID: COWBOY
WHAT What's more iconically American than the Marlboro man? Swiss photographer Schmid helped define this classic American image through his work on the Marlboro campaign. His dramatic, expressionistic pictures of cowboys -- often silhouetted against a brilliant orange sky, or coming through the mist -- are the stuff of fantasy.
WHEN | WHERE Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Oct. 29. Edwynn Houk Gallery, 745 Fifth Ave., fourth floor.
INFO Free, 212-750-7070, houkgallery.com
3. BRUCE DAVIDSON: SUBWAY
WHAT In 1986, documentary photographer Davidson released his color pictures of New Yorkers in the subway -- full of graffiti, darkened tunnels, forlorn platforms and '80s street fashion. Now, 25 years later, the artist has rereleased the book with 25 new pictures; they're currently on display at the Aperture Gallery.
WHEN | WHERE Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Oct. 29. Aperture Gallery, 547 W. 27th St., fourth floor.
INFO Free, 212-505-5555, aperture.org
