Gun 1, New York

William Klein

1954, printed 1986 · Gelatin silver print · Photographs

Upon his return home in the late 1940s after eight years abroad in the army, Klein found his native New York City familiar but strange. Commissioned by Vogue to create a photographic book about the city, Klein recorded its vibrancy and grittiness, producing an uncompromising portrait that the magazine ultimately rejected. He subsequently took his photographs to Paris and published them under the title Life is Good & Good for You in New York. For this photograph, Klein asked two boys on Upper Broadway to pose. One pointed a gun at the camera, his face erupting with rage, mimicking the stereotypical poses of criminals in our image-saturated society.

Artist

William Klein

Date

1954, printed 1986

Medium

Gelatin silver print

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Gift of the artist, in honor of his mother, Mrs. Helen Klein, 1987