For over half a century, Harry Gruyaert has traversed the streets of New York City.
Probably the most iconic location for the genre, this is a man who has a photographed it all. From towering skylines and neon-lit diners, to multicultural neighbourhoods and the fleeting scenes that unfold within them.
Hundreds of his images have been brought together in a new collection, which is a real treat for fans of vibrant colour photography, street work, New York City and spotting trends that come and go.
Born in Antwerp in 1941, Gruyaert has been a member of Magnum Photos since 1982. Although he has taken many photographs and published many monographs of his home-country, it’s his foreign work, including that which is seen here, for which he is perhaps best known.
He’s also known as a pioneer of colour work, at a time when black and white was the domain of the serious photographer, with vibrant scenes thought of more for amateurs, or advertising.
But these couldn’t be in anything but glorious technicolour. In my opinon, as good as black and white street photography from the city is, you don’t quite get the true flavour for New York without being able to see the bold yellows of the cabs, the dramatic reds of the neon signs, and a backdrop of a brilliant blue sky (some of the time).
Let’s face it, there’s an awful lot of street photography from New York City, and an awful lot of books about it too, but this new book from Thames and Hudson is a superb edition to add to your collection. I could spend hours looking through this volume, and it’s one that I expect I’ll return to several times, too.
I love looking at the photographs from the 70s and 80s, but perhaps more interesting to me is the more recent photography – the fashions may have changed, but it’s still so distinctly New York that you almost feel as if you’ve travelled there yourself just by looking through the pages.
Harry Gruyaert New York is available to order now, ISBN: 9780500031384
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