Leonard Freed

Born october 23, 1929, Brooklyn, New York, dies november 29, 2006, Garrison, New York. He was a documentary photojournalist and longtime Magnum member. He was born to jewish working-class parents of Eastern European descent.

Freed had wanted to be a painter, but began taking photographs in the Netherlands and discovered a new passion. He traveled in Europe and Africa before returning to the United States where he attended the New School and studied with Alexey Brodovitch, the art director of Harper's Bazaar. In 1958 he moved to Amsterdam to photograph its Jewish community. Through the 1960s he continued to work as a freelance photojournalist, traveling widely. He documented such events and subjects as the Civil Rights movement in America (1964-65), the Yom Kippur War in 1973, and the New York City police department (1972-79). His career blossomed during the American civil rights movement, when he traveled the country with Martin Luther King, Jr. in his celebrated march across the US from Alabama to Washington. This journey gave him the opportunity to produce his 1968 book, Black in White America, which brought considerable attention. His work on New York City law enforcement also led to a book, Police Work which was published in 1980.

Early in Freed's career, Edward Steichen purchased three photographs from Freed for the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. In 1967, Cornell Capa selected Freed as one of five photographers to participate in his "Concerned Photography" exhibition. Freed joined Magnum Photos in 1972. Publications to which Freed contributed over the years included Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, Fortune, Libération, Life, Look, Paris-Match, Stern, and The Sunday Times Magazine of London.

In later years, Freed continued shooting photographs in Italy, Turkey, Germany, Lebanon and the U.S. He also shot four films for Japanese, Dutch and Belgian television.
“Leonard Freed – Tour de Force” at °Clair is showing mostly vintage prints of the late photographer. No matter if in Munich, in Jerusalem or on Sicily, Freed was constantly observing his fellow men with empathy of surprise. Therein lies his „Tour the Force“: masterly photography paired with a sharp sense for humour and absurdity.

Leonard Freed’s widow Brigitte will be here in Munich for the opening.
Opening: December 6th 2011, 7 pm
Visiting time: December 7th 2011 – 21st January 2012, Tuesdays to Saturdays, 3 – 7 pm
The gallery is closed for holidays from December 24th 2011 to January 2nd 2012

Further information on Leonard freed: www.clair.me/artists/leonard-freed/


Leonard Freed

Leonard Freed ist einer der wichtigsten Vertreter der sogenannten "concerned photography". Der amerikanische Fotograf, 1929 in Brooklyn in eine jüdischen Arbeiter Familie geboren, ist bekannt für seine radikal-realistische, humanistische "coverage" des American Civil Rights Movement. 1972 wurde er als Mitglied in die Magnum Agentur aufgenommen und fotografierte wichtige und schwierige Serien wie  "Police Work", „Black in White America“ oder die rumänische Revolution 1989. Eine leidenschaftliche Liebe für Italien findet sich in zahlreichen Ausstellungen wider, seine Neugierde für Deutschland in der Publikation „Made in Germany“, 1970. Sein Interesse am jüdisch-orthodoxen Leben spiegelt sich durchgehend in seinem Lebenswerk.

°Clair zeigt unter dem Titel Leonard Freed - Tour de Force ab dem 6. Dezember 2011 Vintage Fotografien des 2006 verstorbenen Fotografen. Ob in München, Sizilien oder in Jerusalem: Freed beobachtete seine Mitmenschen stets mit amüsiertem Staunen, Empathie und Humor. Darin liegt auch seine Tour de Force. Meisterhafte Fotografieren gepaart mit einem scharfen Sinn für das Absurde und das Komische.

Leonard Freeds Witwe Brigitte wird bei der Vernissage anwesend sein.

Vernissage: 6. Dezember 2011, 19.00 Uhr
Besichtigung ab 7. Dezember 2011- 21. Januar 2012, dienstags – samstags, 15.00 – 19.00 Uhr
Die Galerie bleibt geschlossen von 24.Dezember 2011 – 2.Januar 2012

Weitere Informationen zu Leonard Freed: www.clair.me/artists/leonard-freed/