Newcomb Art Museum - New York City, New York

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New York City, New York
Photograph

1969
16 x 20 in. (40.64 x 50.8 cm)

Garry Winogrand (New York, NY, 1928 - 1984, Tijuana, Mexico) Primary

Object Type: Photography

Medium and Support: Gelatin silver print on paper

Credit Line: Gift of Marilyn and Leon Sokol

Accession Number: 2009.28.1

Web Notes

Called the “central photographer of his generation”, Garry Winogrand rose to become one of the United States’ pre-eminent 20th century photographers in unexpected places. While his subjects varied, they always shared an admiration for the cacophony of crowded places: among his favorite settings were crowded streets, airports, and even animal enclosures. His street photography strikes a careful balance between capturing such frenzied energy with light and structure to imbibe his works with movement, enthusiasm, and childlike love for the world.  New York City, New York is a photograph depicting a group of people trying to flag down a taxi. The serious nature of the adults is contrasted by the children at play. The hands of the subjects mirror each other, as the little girls are playing with similar hand gestures; and the grownups, as well as the child, are flagging down a taxi in a similar fashion. This scene shows that the hustle and bustle of New York is seen quite differently by age.

Winogrand’s most influential photographs were captured in the city he was born in, where he refused to shy away from the social realities and systemic issues of New York life. New York City, New York is one of countless photographs taken by Winogrand to depict the unfiltered life of the New York woman. It is because of works like these that we have a deeper understanding of historical urban life, as well as how to use photography not only as a lens of truth, but a promise of change to come.

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