Edward Wallowitch, “Unitiled (New York)”, 1960s

#somereallygoodones, #edwardwallowitch, #newyorkstreet

Photo-historian Jane Livingstone’s book, “The New York School: Photographs 1936-1963” (Stewart Tabori & Chang, 1992) includest a number of photographers who worked at the same time in New York City. They are Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, Alexey Brodovitch, Ted Croner, Bruce Davidson, Don Donaghy, Bruce Davidson, Louis Faurer, Robert Frank, Sid Grossman, William Klein, Saul Leiter, Leon Levinstein, Helen Levitt, Lisette Model, David Vestal and Weggee, most of whom are pretty well known now.

There was no school. The only thing they had in common was being Jewish.

Edward Wallowitch (1933-1981) was not included, and he could have used the recognition. His street work is good, including long abstracted shadows on the pavement. He was not the only one doing it, but he did it fine and I think it’s swell to introduce someone who isn’t on the list of usual suspects.

Wallowitch was in a few shows at the MoMA but didn’t make it into the permanent collection. He was a bit of boy wonder photographically, and socially he partnered up with Andy Warhol early on. His pictures of neighborhood guys were traced by Warhol and used in his 1957 “Gold Book”.

Shadows were a big deal in the 1960s, the legacy of film noir and high contrast film. These were visual jazz riffs for the era, a period that was frightening and sexy.

#somereallygoodones, #theunseeneye, #wmhunt, #collectiondancingbear, #collectionblindpirate, #greatphotographs, #howilookatphotographs, #photographsfromtheunconsicous, #collectingislikerunningaroundinathunderstormhopingyoullbehitbylightning, #aphotographsogooditmakesyoufart- lightning, #photographychangedmylifeitgavemeone, #edwardwallowitch, #newyorkschool, #street