Street Humanity – Robert Bergman Photos
In the first solo exhibition of his work, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC is hosting a collection of 34 color portraits created by American photographer Robert Bergman: Portraits, 1986–1995.
Over a 12 year period, Bergman took photos of “everyday people” on American streets using a 35mm camera.
The documentary portraitures are cold and eerie at times, capturing downcast or staring eyes, in a variety of emotions from joyful to despair.
His subject’s images are closely cropped close-ups, of mostly head and shoulders and remain untitled, requiring the viewer to extrapolate what they can from each image and make assumption about the person.
His relatively unknown but riveting work has been presented in his photo book, A Kind of Rapture
Robert Bergman: Portraits, 1986–1995
National Gallery of Art
4th and Constitution Avenue NW – West Building, ground floor
Washington, DC 20565 (map it)
Dates and Times – October 11, 2009 through January 10, 2010. Museum hours - Monday – Saturday – 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sundays – 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Admission – Free, to both the museum and the exhibit.
Nearest Metro Subway Station – Archives – Yellow and Green lines, then a 2-block walk or use the DC Circulator bus.
Parking – Metered street and garage parking is available in the area.
Images – Courtesy of NGA – Robert Bergman – Untitled, 1989. inkjet print, printed 2004. image: 60 x 40.1 cm (23 5/8 x 15 13/16 in.)sheet: 77.4 x 56.1 cm (30 1/2 x 22 1/16 in.) Anonymous Gift. © Robert Bergman. Robert Bergman – Untitled, 1990, inkjet print, printed 2004.image: 60.2 x 40.3 cm (23 11/16 x 15 7/8 in.)sheet: 77.5 x 56.4 cm (30 1/2 x 22 3/16 in.) Anonymous Gift. © Robert Bergman
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A second major exhibition entitled “Robert Bergman: Selected Portraits” will open in New York City at P. S. 1 Contemporary Art Center/MOMA on October 25, 2009 and run through January 4, 2010. The catalogue of the same name should be listed as one of a new book with your next edition. It is spectacular. It includes essays by curator Phong Bui and David Levi Strauss, a highly regarded writer on photography, art and politics. The book includes early b x w photographs, including one of Bobby Kennedy.