Danny Lyon: Montage, Film and Still Photography

On View from Sept 7, 2007-Dec 02, 2007At the Whitney Museum of American ArtEvonne FitzgeraldThe Whitney Museum of American Art is presenting an exhibit by Danny Lyon (1942) the American photographer, writer and filmmaker; that for the first time brings together examples of all his many talents. After graduating from the University of Chicago in 1963 with a BA in History, he became a self taught photographer. He spent many years participating in and documenting the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s. His first success came in (1967), with the Bikeriders, a study that lasted four years and produced an enormous amount of photographs that changed the face of American Photography forever. Lyon’s didn’t just photograph these outlaw bikers he became one of them; he lived, ate, and rode with them. The result was a series of photographs that captured the world and life style of an entire sub-culture in America. His second big success was a project called The Destruction of Lower Manhattan; this was another remarkable collection of photographs documenting the staggering demolition of lower Manhattan in 1967. Then in 1971, thanks to the cooperation of the Texas Department of Correction, he gained access to six prisons spending fourteen months from 1967 to 1968 photographing the day to day activities and lives of its inmates; he called it Conversations with the Dead. Mr. Lyon’s has named his own particular form of photography, New Journalism, meaning to be involved and a partaker in the lives of the individuals being photographedDanny Lyon’s films are as gripping and distinctive as are his photographs, many of them filmed and collected over the years, then edited together to form unique and personal statements ; his films are not fictional stories of imaginary characters, but instead are about real people.Along with Mr. Lyon’s photographs and films is a wonderful collection of framed montages, many of them containing photos peopled with a variety of individuals all or most who down through the decades have touched or been included in Mr. Lyon’s works. There are family and friends as well as individuals who have been briefly associated with Mr. Lyon’s over the years, but have interest him enough to be included in these particular montages. This is a very unique exhibit, especially given the fast that it’s the first time all three of Mr. Lyon’s forms of expression have been represented at the same time thereby making it a not to be missed experience.Resources: Free World Encyclopedia 2007 Danny LyonThe Whitney Museum of American Art is located at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street, 1 800 Whitney.For The Record: The September Neo Rauch Art Review contained a publishing error, the correct name of the school Mr. Rauch attended is as follows; Leipziger Hochschule Fur Grafik und Buchkunst.The Chronicle is accepting any comments/additional information about upcoming events or previous art reviews. Please send any comments/additional information to chronicle@nyit.edu