E14 EZ EE THE WASHINGTON POST. SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 2022 EZ EE E15
Photography
BY NATALIA JIMÉNEZ-STUARDT
he wanderings of a street photographer,
led by a curious intuition with a camera in
hand, can be a solitary experience as the
artist’s eye dances between fleeting con-
nections with strangers and light. But
when these decisive moments are caught by the
press of the shutter, they take on a broader meaning
and become lasting impressions of history.
“A Female Gaze,” an exhibition at the Howard
Greenberg Gallery in New York, explores the work
of 12 female street photographers over seven
decades. Their piercing perspective cuts through
the street armor of everyday life, using the city as a
canvas to explore everything from geometric shapes
to personal relationships.
“The pictures just started conversations with
each other, almost like old friends who may not
have met before,” said Howard Greenberg director
Karen Marks, who curated the show from the
gallery’s vast archives.
As the photographs come together, they spark a
dialogue that uniquely reflects the vision of these
female photographers. In a male-dominated medi-
um, it’s a refreshing visual exchange.
A willingness to push the boundaries of tradi-
tional framing and composition results in surpris-
ing abstractions. Berenice Abbott (1898-1991) ac-
centuated the exaggerated verticality of the city at a
time when skyscrapers were constantly reaching
new heights. The towering silhouettes of women on
the town come to life in a photograph by Lisette
Model (1901-1983). Barbara Morgan (1900-1992)
experimented with photographic techniques that
toy with a viewer’s perception.
These photographers translate passing moments
into meaningful visual explorations, with a special
sensitivity to documenting the experiences of
women and youths. In one photo, Esther Bubley
(1921-1998) catches the gaze of a passenger on a
Greyhound bus. Vivian Maier (1926-2009) focuses
on two women in Chicago, one adjusting her heels
while the other’s ripped stocking adds a level of
humanity to a moment familiar to many. While the
young people in images by Mary Ellen Mark
(1940-2015) try to project maturity, the photogra-
pher sees through their efforts, revealing in their
quiet expressions their true age.
Each image in the exhibition imparts an individ-
ual message to be interpreted, but collectively they
start a rich conversation.
“You get ... a bunch of great pictures together and
a bunch of great artists together, and you find a way
that they could lock in and converse,” Marks said.
“A nd they do. Late at night, when no one’s here. I’m
sure they’re all back on the wall in the morning.”A Female Gaze Through April 2 at the Howard
Greenberg Gallery, 41 E. 57th St., Suite 801, New York.
howardgreenberg.com.All eyes
on t he
female
gaze
Collection brings together
seven decades of street scenesBERENICE ABBOTT/GETTY IMAGES LISETTE MODEL FOUNDATIONMARY ELLEN MARK/HOWARD GREENBERG GALLERY, NEW YORKLISETTE MODEL FOUNDATIONESTATE OF ESTHER BUBLEY ESTATE OF VIVIAN MAIER/MALOOF COLLECTION AND HOWARD GREENBERG GALLERY, NEW YORKCLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Vivian Maier,
“Chicago,” 1961. Lisette Model, “Woman With Veil,
San Francisco,” 1947. Lisette Model, “Reflections,
Rockefeller Center, New York,” circa 1945. Esther
Bubley, “Coast to Coast, SONJ,” 1947. Mary Ellen
Mark, “Tiny on Pike Street, Seattle,” 1983.LEFT: Berenice Abbott, “Exchange Place,” 1934.