You may see New York City from many points of view, but a funhouse mirror is usually not one of them. Not until Magnum Photos star Alex Webb paired with Saint Laurent in Madison Square Park.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Alex Webb & Saint Laurent in a Funhouse Mirror
Madison Square Park sets at the center of the Flatiron District. It’s a gathering place, a lunch stop, and the site of art installations – like the one that Webb and Saint Laurent put together.
Over the last 45 years, Webb has focused on illuminating and interpreting social and political events through his complex and vibrant color photographs of serendipitous or perplexing moments that are often found in locations with socio-political rifts. Webb has worked in a variety of settings throughout his career, including the U.S.-Mexico border, Haiti and Istanbul.
“My work is questioning and exploratory,” he says. “I believe in photographs that convey a certain level of ambiguity, that ask questions rather than provide answers.”
But in Madison Square Park, that blended with photos done for fashion house Saint Laurent. The results reflect the energy, vibrancy and contradictions of New York City.
The mix of art – the mirror outside, the photography inside – made for a memorable three-day event set in a popular but tranquil Midtown park.
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