Photo League: New York 1936–1951 tells the story of a group of cutting-edge photographers who documented everyday life in New York City and how these pioneers of street photography used their cameras in the struggle for social change.

From the end of June, fans of special street photography can visit the Jewish Museum for ‘Photo League: New York 1936-1951‘. The exhibition shows work by famous photographers such as Weegee, Walter Rosenblum, Berenice Abbott and Lisette Model. The exhibition also highlights the role of Jewish and female photographers within the Photo League. The themes they addressed are still relevant today.

City View
The pioneering photographers combined an artistic approach with documentary photography, giving a human face to often overlooked workers, migrants and marginalized communities. Their work not only offered an intimate view of the city, but also contributed to a broader discussion about poverty, discrimination and social inequality.

Photo League’s Fall
The Photo League’s fall came in the early 1950s. During the McCarthy era, the collective was suspected of communist sympathies. In 1947, the League was blacklisted, lost support and members, and eventually dissolved in 1951. Female photographers in particular disappeared from the public eye; their careers came to a standstill.
Photo League: New York 1936–1951, produced in collaboration with Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York, is the first major European exhibition of this remarkable organization. Using photographs, historical documents, and previously unpublished interviews with former members, the story of the League is retold.
Image: © Estate of Rebecca Lepkoff, Courtesy of Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York