Kansas City, Missouri
1965, printed 1983
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image: 38.6 x 57.6 cm (15 3/16 x 22 11/16 in.) sheet: 50.8 x 60.6 cm (20 x 23 7/8 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Patrons' Permanent Fund
Accession Number
2001.22.429
Art Historical Context
Lee Friedlander's *Kansas City, Missouri*1965, printed 1983) captures the gritty pulse of mid-1960s American urban life through the lens of one of the 20th century's master street photographers. Friedlander a key figure in the "New Documentary" movement, was renowned for his unflinching, multifaceted views of everyday America—often layering reflections, signs, and human figures into dense, disorienting compositions that challenge the viewer's eye. This gelatin silver print, with its rich tonal depth and sharp contrasts, exemplifies the medium's enduring appeal for black-and-white photography, ...
About the Artist
Lee Friedlander
Lee Friedlander, born on July 14, 1934, in Aberdeen, Washington, to a Finnish-descended mother, Kaari Nurmi, and German-Jewish émigré father, Fritz Friedlander, discovered photography at age 14 amid a fascination with the medium's equipment. Tragedy marked his childhood when his mother died of cancer at age seven, yet he pursued his passion, earning pocket money with a camera before studying under...