Harold Feinstein. Exhibit June 18. Lecture June 29.

Unwrapping the Gift of Life: Celebrating the Work and Wisdom of Photographer, Harold Feinstein. 

Firehouse Center for the Arts, Newburyport.

 June 29, 2016. 7:00 pm. Doors open at 6:30 pm

This lecture series is the third lecture in an ongoing exploration of the

 importance of a partnership between innovation and creativity. Funds raised from this event will go towards the creation of an innovation and creativity lab in Amesbury

- for innovators of all ages! 

 
Tickets: $10.00 each.

Presenters:

Sarah Kennel, Curator of Photography
Peabody Essex Museum

Tony Decaneas, Owner, Decaneas Archive

Elin Spring, Renowned writer of the photography blog,
What Will You Remember

Judith Thompson, Director, Harold Feinstein Photography Trust


PLUS! Raffle at event: One matted, framed limited edition archival pigment poster of Feinstein’s iconic Coney Island Teenagers

This presentation parallels an exhibit of Feinstein;s work to be held at Sweethaven Gallery in Newburyport. This exhibit is co-sponsored by Greg Nikas, of Sweethaven Gallery in Newburyport, Asia Scudder of Blue Wave Art Gallery of Amesbury.

With special thanks to Digital Silver Imaging for contributing commemorative pigment poster design, printing, matting and framing.


Biography of Harold Feinstein: 

Feinstein died at the age of 84 and had lived in Merrimac, MA since 2000. On the one year anniversary of his passing, the local arts community will commemorate Feinstein’s legacy through a number of cultural events. An exhibition of his work will open at Sweethaven Gallery on June 15 (reception on the 18th), followed by a public event at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center on June 29th. The public event will feature special guest, Sarah Kennel, photography curator at the Peabody Essex Museum. The events are being coordinated by gallery owners Greg Nikas (Sweethaven Gallery) and Asia Scudder (Blue Wave Gallery) with support from the Newburyport Clean Tech Center, a non profit associated with Chestnut Innovation Center.


When master photographer Harold Feinstein passed away in June 2015, the New York Times declared him “one of the most accomplished recorders of the American experience.” TheBoston Globesaid: “He saw more than most. Though critics began applying the phrase ‘master photographer’ to Mr. Feinstein when he was only in his 20s, he might have argued that his true mastery lay in his approach to life, as expressed through the camera in his hands.” In her renowned Photograpy Blog, Elin Spring, commented: “Feinstein had a genius for guiding us to the beauty in others in the same gifted way that Diane Arbus made us aware of their flaws or Garry Winogrand conveyed satire. To me, Feinstein’s great legacy will be his generous and touching reflection of our best selves.”


Feinstein was born in Coney Island in 1931 and began photographing in 1946 when he was 15. By the time he was 19, Edward Steichen had purchased his work for the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art making him the youngest person to be so honored. Before the age of 30 he had become the youngest member of the historic Photo League, a designer for Blue Note jazz records, an original inhabitants of New York’s legendary “Jazz Loft” and a collaborator with W. Eugene Smith. He was also a renowned teacher who influenced generations of photographers.

While he is best known for his Coney Island work, which spans six decades, his breadth and exposure is far greater, encompassing classic street photography, the Korean War, nudes and portraits as well as digital color still life work published in seven books. In 2000 he received the Smithsonian Computerworld Award for his breakthrough work with scanography. In 2011, he received the Living Legend award from the Griffin Museum of Photography. His most recent book Harold Feinstein: Retrospective, (Nazareli, 2012) wona PDN photo book of the year award in 2013.


Harold Feinstein, a native of Coney Island,

borrowed a Rolleiflex camera from a neighbor when he was 15

and set forth to record the sights and the people surrounding him.

Early on, he exhibited an uncanny ability to capture

spontaneous moments — sunbathers enjoying the beach,

teenagers laughing on a plunging roller coaster —

that pulled viewers into the city’s most famous seaside

playground and the life of ordinary New Yorkers. -- By WILLIAM GRIMES JUNE 29, 2015. New York Times. TICKETS: