SNMA presents a new virtual exhibition, Leonard Fink, Documenting New York’s Gay Scene 1970
Leonard Fink (1930-1993) was an amateur photographer who documented over 25 years of gay life in New York. His photographs were seen by only a few close friends and were never exhibited or published in his lifetime. He seems to have taught himself photography using an old 35mm camera and a homemade darkroom in his small apartment on West 92nd Street. He lived frugally, spending much of his income on photographic supplies that he bought in bulk and stored in his darkroom and bedroom. He stored all his prints and negatives in a file cabinet. At the time of his death, the photos in the file cabinet covered a period from 1954 to 1992.
The exhibition consists of a great many images of New York City’s Greenwich Village, especially West Street and the gay bars along it. Also included are numerous images of The Piers, several run-down structures on the Hudson River devoted to gay male cruising and sexual encounters. These pictures include both exterior and interior shots, sometimes including the men who frequented The Piers. His photographs of gay life begin with groups of gay men photographed in Greenwich Village in 1967. His photographs of Pride marches begin with the first march in 1970.
FREE
2020/11/01 - 2021/10/31
Additional time info:
This is a virtual exhibition, available on our website 24/7 until the end of October
Online/Virtual Space