The Color Revolution of Helen Levitt

Levitt, Helen (1913–2009) ; American Photographer

Some Color Photographs: Old and New. 25 October–2 December 1989 [Exhibition Announcement]

An elegant piece of documentary photo ephemera tracking the recovery of Levitt's unseen street negatives.

This is a lovely original gallery exhibition announcement documenting Helen Levitt’s mid-career mastery of color street photography. Published to accompany her landmark autumn 1989 exhibition at Laurence Miller's Spring Street gallery, the announcement reproduces her iconic 1959 dye-transfer image of three children peering from a dark New York frame window. 

An unmailed example capturing a crucial turning point where the art world fully integrated her early color work into the canon of 20th-century documentary photography.

KEY FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Features a vibrant, high-gloss color reproduction of Levitt's legendary 1959 New York City window photograph on the front panel.
+++ Binding: Single sheet of heavy white cardstock, scored and folded horizontally into an oblong four-page format.
+++ Content: Gallery promotional text specifying dates (25 October–2 December 1989), reception details (Saturday 28 October 3–5 pm), and the gallery's 138 Spring Street imprint.
+++ Imprint: New York: Laurence Miller Contemporary Photographs, 1989.
+++ Specs: 7 x 9 inches (folded); 14 x 9 inches (unfolded). [4] pages.
+++ Provenance: From the private estate files of publisher Ben Raeburn and Pat Pearcy.

CONDITION: Near Fine. The card is tight, bright, and square. The white panels are clean, free of postmarks, addresses, or handwriting. The color plate retains its high-gloss finish and depth of color with only a trace of rubbing near the fold line. An unsophisticated, pristine survival.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Artistic Significance: Documents a critical reassessment of Levitt's career. While famous for her 1940s black-and-white work, her pioneering 1950s color slides were famously stolen, making the surviving 'Old and New' color works featured in this 1989 show vital to her legacy.
+++ Regional Context: An authentic piece of Soho gallery ephemera from the late 1980s, anchoring Levitt's presence in the contemporary New York art scene under Laurence Miller's representation.

SUBJECTS: Helen Levitt, Laurence Miller Gallery, Color Photography, Street Photography, Soho Art Scene, New York City, Ephemera, Gallery Exhibition Programs, Ephemera.

Item #22096

Price: $45.00