New City, New York
1997
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image: 38.1 x 37.8 cm (15 x 14 7/8 in.) sheet: 50.5 x 40.6 cm (19 7/8 x 16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Patrons' Permanent Fund
Accession Number
2001.22.275
Art Historical Context
Lee Friedlander's *New City, New York* (1997) captures the vibrant chaos of urban life in the late 20th century. A master of street photography, Friedlander—often associated with the "New Documents" movement alongside contemporaries like Garry Winogrand—excelled at composing dense, layered scenes filled with reflections, signage, and fleeting human moments. This gelatin silver print, a classic black-and-white medium prized for its rich tonal gradations and tactile depth, measures 38.1 x 37.8 cm, inviting viewers to pore over its intricate details like a visual puzzle. Printed in 1997, the wor...
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...