THE STREETS OF NEW YORK IN KODACHROME

Hellman, Roberta and Hoshino, Marvin - Introduction

1980-1981 Helen Levitt Exhibition Archive - 'Color Photographs' Catalog & MATRIX 66 Brochure

El Cajon, California: Grossmont College, 1980. First Edition, First Printing.
HELEN LEVITT’S VISUAL POETRY OF 1970S NEW YORK FROM THE COLOR SIDEWALKS OF HARLEM TO THE LOWER EAST SIDE.
A scarce pairing of two original exhibition publications documenting Helen Levitt's pivotal transition to color photography. This set includes the vibrant 1980 Grossmont College catalog (23 color plates) and the elusive 1981 Wadsworth Atheneum 'MATRIX 66' gallery brochure, plus vintage press clippings.

Key Features:
+++ Item 1: Grossmont Catalog (1980): First Edition. Features 23 full-color photographic plates capturing NYC street life in the 1970s. Includes an introduction by Roberta Hellman and Marvin Hoshino.
+++ Item 2: MATRIX 66 Brochure (1981): Original folded gallery guide from the Wadsworth Atheneum. Includes a checklist of 13 works, a B&W cover image ('Untitled, 1971'), and an essay by Curator Kate Carlson.
+++ Bonuses: Includes two vintage photocopied newspaper reviews from 1980/1981 (Washington Star, etc.) offering contemporary critical context.

Physical Specs:
+++ Catalog: 8 x 8.75 inches; approx. 32 pages; Stapled pictorial wraps.
+++ Brochure: 5.5 x 8.5 inches (folded); 4 pages; Folded cardstock.

Condition: Fine -- Catalog: A crisp, 'Gift Quality' copy. Wraps are clean with sharp corners; binding is tight; plates are bright. Brochure: Excellent condition, crisp with no markings. Clippings: Old creases from storage, used as reference material.

Historical Significance: Helen Levitt (1913–2009) is a legend of 20th-century street photography. While her 1940s black-and-white work is iconic, her color work from the 1970s was equally masterful yet under-published at the time.

This archive captures the specific moment (1980–1981) when museums and galleries began to canonize her color photography. The Grossmont catalog is one of the earliest publications dedicated solely to this color work, and the MATRIX brochure documents her acceptance into the contemporary art establishment.

Keywords: NYC Street Photography, New York School, Kodachrome, Harlem, Lower East Side, Candid Photography, Women Photographers, 1970s NYC, Wadsworth Atheneum, Museum Ephemera.

Item #21462

Price: $95.00