In front of Saint Patrick's Cathedral

Abstract

American photographer Donald Blumberg (b. 1935) began his career making black-and-white photographs of the streets and people of New York. He first gained national attention and widespread recognition for his 1965-67 series 'In Front of Saint Patrick's Cathedral', published in 1973. In these thought-provoking photographs, Blumberg innovatively captured worshippers exiting the cavernous threshold of the famed Roman Catholic cathedral on Fifth Avenue. The figures often seem to defy scale and perspective, clustered in the corners of the frame or gathered in blurry crowds. This revised and expanded edition of Blumberg's pioneering project features a new sequence that includes previously unpublished images and select contact sheets from the project, all printed in rich duotones. Exhibition: Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, USA (21.8.-22.11.2015).