Dance at the UN, 1955. Copyright:© George S. Zimbel / Courtesy of Stephen Bulger Gallery
January 21 – February 18, 2012
Opening: Friday, January 21, 5–9 p.m.
STEPHEN BULGER GALLERY
1026 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario M6J 1H6
T: 416.504.0575
E: info@bulgergallery.com
www.bulgergallery.com
Hours: Tues – Sat 11–6 p.m.
Fascinated by the optimism of the 1950s, Stephen Bulger has long considered 1955 to be the epitome of this era, so often mythologized and made nostalgic in North American mass media.
This exhibition contains works by various makers, all photographed in 1955, displaying many different approaches to photography. 1955 begins with Larry Morris’ photograph of the Times Square New Year’s Eve Party welcoming in 1955, which was the 50th anniversary of the first celebration at One Times Square.
Next comes Charles Swedlund, a twenty-year-old native of Chicago who graduated from the famed Institute of Design and, in 1955, delved into an intense year of image making. On exhibit are selections of his multiple exposures from the series called “Chicago,” as well as selections from his series “Firefighters.”
George S. Zimbel travelled America in 1955 and received an assignment to photograph New Orleans. His take on the city was a rawer look than was wanted by his client, who offered only a ‘kill fee’ after seeing the photographs. Images from this series have been acquired by major museums around the world, and they were published as BourbonStreet, New Orleans 1955 [les éditions du passage, 2006.]. This trip confirmed George’s love of Elaine Semovitz, to whom he proposed from El Paso. They rendezvoused in New Orleans and were married there on Feb 3, 1955.
The exhibition offers glimpses of life in 1955 and fine examples of photographic practice by Dr.Harold Edgerton; Elliot Erwitt; Dave Heath; André Kertész, O. Winston Link; Angus McBean; W. Eugene Smith; Frederick Sommer; Dennis Stock; and Gabor Szilasi.
The exhibition also includes the wedding portrait of Murray and Jane Bulger, who were married on February 19, 1955, and to whom this exhibition is lovingly dedicated.
Screening Saturdays at 3 p.m.:
- January 21: Oklahoma
- January 28: Bad Day at Black Rock
- February 4: The Seven Year Itch
- February 11: The Desperate Hours
- February 18: Rebel Without a Cause