Presented by Anastasia Photo, the faces and scenes in Philip Collier’s “The New York Years 1975 – 1980” capture a period of time in American iconography that is both familiar yet distant. It is no secret that there is an everlasting infatuation with New York City, and in particular, there is a mutual obsession that transcends generations of reminiscing on what it was like to live at a time when everyone tells you that, “you just had to be there”.
Luckily, Philip Collier’s work allows us to travel back in time and fantasize about daily life in the post-counterculture landscape of New York City. Collier’s imagery is evocative, witty, and timeless – much like how we collectively perceive New York of the 1970’s today. Collier’s man-on-the-street style of point-and-shoot photography is ahead of its time and on full display in this exhibition. During these years, the city was pulsating with a sense of urgency, youth, and camaraderie. Through this collection of photographs, Collier captures the intoxicating sense of laissez-faire that is synonymous with 1970’s.
“The New York Years 1975 – 1980” shares a story of New York City’s identity that both inspires older generations to reflect and younger ones to build castles in the air. There is an undeniable cultural and stylistic prowess to this era, and Collier’s sense of taste and skill is equally impressive at memorializing it. Thanks to this collection of archival imagery shot by Collier in his early twenties, we are able to look through a window into the past and feel the essence of his memories that are teeming with excitement, freedom, and optimism. Collier’s camera immortalized a classic period of American culture and reminds us all of what it means to be a New Yorker.
Philip Collier : The New York Years 1975 – 1980
Until June 30, 2024
Anastasia Photo
www.anastasia-photo.com
