In the realm of visual storytelling, few subjects are as captivating and multifaceted as the urban landscape. The exhibition 'Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography' at Dulwich Picture Gallery in London is a testament to this, offering a captivating journey through the lens of master photographers who have captured the essence of American cities in all their grime, grit, and glory. This review delves into the exhibition's unique perspective, exploring how it intertwines the evolution of the modern urban environment with the language of photography, and why it's a must-see for anyone interested in the art form and the cityscape.
What makes 'Portrait of a City' particularly fascinating is its exclusive focus on works from the DNB Savings Bank Foundation collection. This curatorial choice, while limiting, allows for a concise yet comprehensive overview of era-defining photographers and their contributions to the genre. From the pictorialist pioneers of New York, such as Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen, to the social documentary masters like Dorothea Lange and Lewis Hine, the exhibition showcases the evolution of photography as a tool for capturing the human condition in urban settings.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the exhibition is the way it highlights the influence of painting on photography. Many of the photographers in the first part of the show trained as painters, and this is evident in the glorious attentiveness to composition and light. Aaron Siskind's 'Harlem Document', for instance, reflects the influence of his friendships with Rothko and Kline, as he searched in Harlem's torn posters and peeling paint for his own kind of abstract expression. This fusion of artistic disciplines adds a layer of depth and richness to the exhibition, showcasing how photography can be a vehicle for exploring the abstract and the emotional.
As the exhibition progresses, it becomes clear that the American narrative of the city is one of both optimism and despair. From the Great Depression to the New Deal, urban construction, regeneration, and optimism give way to something more sinister. Images of solitary figures against the immensity of the city recur, such as Louis Faurer's 'Looking at the RCA Building at Rockefeller Center', where an anonymous figure in a fedora looks towards the building, so mighty it fills the whole frame. This sense of isolation and anonymity is a recurring theme throughout the exhibition, reflecting the complex and often contradictory nature of urban life.
One of the most striking aspects of the exhibition is the way it showcases the evolution of photography as a tool for capturing the urban experience. From the gritty, sensationalist snapshots of Weegee, depicting murders, accidents, and the odd moments only a city can yield, to the achingly simple genius of Roy DeCarava's 'Hallway', a photograph of an empty corridor in a tenement building in Harlem, the exhibition offers a rich tapestry of perspectives on the urban environment. DeCarava's image, in particular, is a powerful reminder of the way photography can capture the essence of a place and the emotions it evokes.
The exhibition also highlights the role of photography in capturing the multiplicity of quiet-but-dazzling instants that happen every day. Peter Hujar's 'Richie', for instance, is a powerful reminder of the way a single moment can be both profound and fleeting. As the exhibition moves through the 60s and 70s, where the hair gets hipper and politics get more intense, and ends up on the subway, engulfed by 1980s Leica shots that Bruce Davidson made on New York's graffiti-covered trains, it becomes clear that photography is a powerful tool for capturing the pulse of the city, the collisions of culture, age, race, and class that make up the urban experience.
In my opinion, 'Portrait of a City' is a must-see for anyone interested in photography, the urban environment, or the American experience. It offers a unique perspective on the evolution of photography as a tool for capturing the human condition in urban settings, and it is a powerful reminder of the way art can be used to explore the complexities and contradictions of the modern world. From the gritty, sensationalist snapshots to the achingly simple genius, the exhibition is a testament to the power of photography to capture the essence of the city and the emotions it evokes. So, if you're in London, make sure to visit Dulwich Picture Gallery before the exhibition ends on October 4th.
