In the 1960s, while now-iconÂic phoÂtogÂraÂphers like Robert Frank and Diane Arbus were busy becomÂing iconÂic — applyÂing for grants, enterÂing award shows, husÂtling for high-proÂfile magÂaÂzine assignÂments — Leon LevinÂstein was blendÂing into crowds, unnoÂticed, docÂuÂmentÂing street life and the era’s hipÂsters: beach bums, downÂtown derÂriÂeres, street husÂtlers. An unsung phoÂtogÂraÂphy hero of the 20th cenÂtuÂry, LevinÂstein craftÂed and inhabÂitÂed a loneÂly, herÂmit-like world behind his lens, yet manÂaged to capÂture the richÂness of the world in front of it with remarkÂable eleÂgance and vigÂor.
In fanÂtasÂtic 1988 interÂview recentÂly feaÂtured on NPR, the lone phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer shares his creÂative ethos and his ultiÂmate approach to his art: “You gotÂta be alone and work alone. It’s a loneÂly occuÂpaÂtion, if you wanÂna call it that.”
Image © Howard GreenÂberg Gallery
Image © Howard GreenÂberg Gallery
What makes LevinÂstein a parÂticÂuÂlarÂly unlikeÂly masÂter of street phoÂtogÂraÂphy — or, perÂhaps, preÂciseÂly what makes him a masÂter — is that he nevÂer received any forÂmal trainÂing in phoÂtogÂraÂphy. Instead, he exitÂed the army, bought himÂself a used camÂera, and quiÂetÂly set to shootÂing.
“A good phoÂtoÂgraph will prove to the viewÂer how litÂtle our eyes perÂmit us to see. Most peoÂple only see what they have always seen and what they expect to see. Where a phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer, if he’s good, will see everyÂthing.”
Image © Howard GreenÂberg Gallery
Image © Howard GreenÂberg Gallery
This month, a new exhiÂbiÂtion at New York’s MetÂroÂpolÂiÂtan MuseÂum of Art pays homage to the obscure phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer. HipÂsters, HusÂtlers, and HandÂball PlayÂers: Leon LevinÂstein’s New York PhoÂtographs, 1950–1980 is as much a retÂroÂspecÂtive of LevinÂstein’s work as it is a unique time capÂsule of the era’s everyÂday culÂture-makÂers. You can view the colÂlecÂtion of phoÂtographs on the museÂum’s webÂsite and catch the exhiÂbiÂtion at the Met until OctoÂber 17.
Maria PopoÂva is the founder and ediÂtor in chief of Brain PickÂings, a curatÂed invenÂtoÂry of eclecÂtic interÂestÂingÂness and indisÂcrimÂiÂnate curiosÂiÂty. She writes for Wired UK, GOOD MagÂaÂzine, BigÂThink and HuffÂinÂgÂton Post, and spends a disÂturbÂing amount of time on TwitÂter.
As a canÂdid phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer whose work gives hisÂtorÂiÂcal insight, Leon LevinÂstein phoÂtographs cerÂtainÂly do deserve more recogÂniÂtion. He cerÂtainÂly was able to “see everyÂthing” that othÂers typÂiÂcalÂly miss.