Leon Levinstein: The Moment of Exposure

This text presents the catalogue for an exhibition of Levinstein's photography opening at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa on February 10, 1995 and at the Museum of Modern Art, New York on July 20, 1995. The images presented reflect the personal struggles and alienation of their subjects as well as Levinstein's own untempered vision of life on the street. Bob Shamis chronicles Levinstein's career as a layout artist in advertising, his aesthetic development, and his relationships with his family, fellow photographers and mentors. In a second essay, noted critic Max Kozloff discusses Levinstein's place in the milieu of New York street photography.