Friday, March 12, 2010

Profile on Weegee





The Profile Gallery, Saltburn, is currently showing work by the late Austrian-born American press photographer Weegee, the first time his pictures have been exhibited on Teesside.
The show is part of the gallery’s link with Amber, the film and photography collective based at Side Gallery in Newcastle, which has an extensive archive, including one of the best collections of Weegee’s work in the world.
Born Usher Fellig, Weegee captured the gritty underbelly of 1930s’ and 1940s’ New York, earning his nickname because he was usually first on the scene with his small Speed Graphic camera.
His photographs capture decisive moments, from gangland hits to women attending opera and children playing with water from a fire hydrant on the lower east side.
He was famous for his crimescene work, but also recorded all aspects of life as social documentary, often with humour and irony.
The exhibition runs until June 5, with 30 images on display, including pictures of Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali.

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