The New York Photo League - Black and White New York The New York Photo League is an organization I had heard of in the past, but honestly knew little about. However, when I heard of the exhibit showcasing their work that opened at the Jewish Museum in New York City earlier in November (and will be showing until March 25th, 2012), I was intrigued, so I did some research. History The origin, history, and demise of the NYPL is a story that’s almost as captivating as the portraits and street photography of New York City that their many prominent members captured over the course of the league’s existence. Active from 1936 to 1951, the League began as a collection of amateur and professional photographers who formed like Voltron around a range of common social and creative causes. Most of the league’s members were Jewish, as well as socialist sympathizers, whose artistic goals were to document and expose the lives and struggles of the American worker and urban New York. Amazingly it was a Berlin-based communist faction, the Workers International Relief, that helped establish the, then named, Worker’s Camera League in NYC. Differences in ideologies and interests led to a split, with the original group becoming the now famous NYPL. The list of members and prominent supporters that ran in the circles of the NYPL over its 15 year history is unreal. Richard Avedon, Ansel Adams, Arthur Leipzig, Aaron Siskind, Bernice Abbott, and countless others. NYPL cameras were there for the Depression, the New Deal, WWII, and the Cold War, resulting in some of the most extensive urban documentary photography of the 20th century. Their demise was fairly swift however. By 1947, the “Red Scare” witch hunt for American communists led to the NYPL being blacklisted and named among groups disloyal to the United States. Despite fierce denial of the accusations, by 1951 the membership had declined and the group disbanded in October of that year. Documentary Film Arthur Leipzig ideal laundry, 1946 The two little kids standing on both sides of the display glass almost seem like reflections of each other. That big open shop window acts like a platform displaying the conditions that faced so many children in urban New York at the time. chalk games, 1950 The chalk drawings on the street seem Basquiat or Picasso-esque in nature. Everything about the composition and the chemistry gives it a painterly feel. Morris Engel harlem merchant, 1937 The merchant’s head looks like just another item in line in the shop’s display. Harold Corsini playing football in the streets of harlem, 1939 This is probably my favorite photo of any I’ve seen from the League. Take a wide angle lens, shoot overhead at a bird’s eye view, set the camera at a canted angle, and this is what you get. The long shadows cast make it seem like the subjects are running up and down the composition. Marvin Newman a child ties on a mask to celebrate the october festival on south side, 1951 Everyone in this shot is stunting on 100% with unique facial expressions. My favorite is the girl on the right. She looks like she could have been cast for an Odd Future album cover. Ruth Orkin boy jumping into hudson river, 1948 The way the diving boy occupies the negative space is remarkable. This photograph is so engaging, top to bottom, left to right. All over the composition, there’s something interesting to occupy your eyes. Check out the girl in the bottom left corner.
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The New York Photo League - Black and White New York

The New York Photo League is an organization I had heard of in the past, but honestly knew little about. However, when I heard of the exhibit showcasing their work that opened at the Jewish Museum in New York City earlier in November (and will be showing until March 25th, 2012), I was intrigued, so I did some research.

History

The origin, history, and demise of the NYPL is a story that’s almost as captivating as the portraits and street photography of New York City that their many prominent members captured over the course of the league’s existence. Active from 1936 to 1951, the League began as a collection of amateur and professional photographers who formed like Voltron around a range of common social and creative causes. Most of the league’s members were Jewish, as well as socialist sympathizers, whose artistic goals were to document and expose the lives and struggles of the American worker and urban New York. Amazingly it was a Berlin-based communist faction, the Workers International Relief, that helped establish the, then named, Worker’s Camera League in NYC. Differences in ideologies and interests led to a split, with the original group becoming the now famous NYPL.

The list of members and prominent supporters that ran in the circles of the NYPL over its 15 year history is unreal. Richard Avedon, Ansel Adams, Arthur Leipzig, Aaron Siskind, Bernice Abbott, and countless others. NYPL cameras were there for the Depression, the New Deal, WWII, and the Cold War, resulting in some of the most extensive urban documentary photography of the 20th century.

Their demise was fairly swift however. By 1947, the “Red Scare” witch hunt for American communists led to the NYPL being blacklisted and named among groups disloyal to the United States. Despite fierce denial of the accusations, by 1951 the membership had declined and the group disbanded in October of that year.

Documentary Film

Arthur Leipzig

ideal laundry, 1946

  • The two little kids standing on both sides of the display glass almost seem like reflections of each other. That big open shop window acts like a platform displaying the conditions that faced so many children in urban New York at the time.

chalk games, 1950

  • The chalk drawings on the street seem Basquiat or Picasso-esque in nature. Everything about the composition and the chemistry gives it a painterly feel.

Morris Engel

harlem merchant, 1937

  • The merchant’s head looks like just another item in line in the shop’s display.

Harold Corsini

playing football in the streets of harlem, 1939

  • This is probably my favorite photo of any I’ve seen from the League. Take a wide angle lens, shoot overhead at a bird’s eye view, set the camera at a canted angle, and this is what you get. The long shadows cast make it seem like the subjects are running up and down the composition.

Marvin Newman

a child ties on a mask to celebrate the october festival on south side, 1951

  • Everyone in this shot is stunting on 100% with unique facial expressions. My favorite is the girl on the right. She looks like she could have been cast for an Odd Future album cover.

Ruth Orkin

boy jumping into hudson river, 1948

  • The way the diving boy occupies the negative space is remarkable. This photograph is so engaging, top to bottom, left to right. All over the composition, there’s something interesting to occupy your eyes. Check out the girl in the bottom left corner.

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