Street Life

David Hill Gallery is delighted to present Street Life, a collaborative group exhibition showcasing street and documentary photography co-curated with Framelines.  

Street Life is a celebration of one of photography’s most consistently popular genres, bringing together the work of 18 photographers at various stages in their careers, some award-winning and some emerging. The line-up comprises of artists shown, or to be shown, in Framelines magazine, which has championed the work of street and documentary photography since its inception in 2020. 

Brooklyn, Colorado, and Mexico City-based photographer Lisa Barlow is influenced by her studies under Larry Fink at Yale and explores the narrative storytelling capabilities of photography. With a career spanning documentarian role for public television, teaching at NYC private schools, and commemorating numerous events, Barlow's work reflects her keen eye for capturing the poetry and drama in everyday encounters. Her upcoming publication, Waterbury, 1981 (STANLEY / BARKER), will showcase the unseen series, her first on leaving college. 

Award-winning Italian photographer Mario Carnicelli's outsider perspective provides a unique lens through which to view the American experience. Influenced by New Wave cinema, Carnicelli's images offer both optimism and introspection, capturing the essence of a nation shaped by diverse cultures and traditions. Recognized with prestigious awards like the Prix Viviane Esders, Carnicelli continues to enrich the photographic world with his timeless exploration of societal nuances. Nous, recently published by Éditions Contre Jours, provides the first overview of his different bodies of work. ' 

Brooklyn-based photographer Billy Dinh's dramatic, cinematic style invites viewers to immerse themselves in the play of light and shadow on city streets. His keen eye for capturing fleeting moments of life adds depth and emotion to his compelling images. Dinh’s images invite viewers into a rawer version of the world, glimpsing the moments of everyday life that he witnesses. 

Josh Edgoose, co-founder of Framelines, is a London-based photographer drawn to colour, coincidence and the serendipitous. His work often focuses on the interactions between people, homing in on a sense of British humour and wit. To date, two photobooks of books of his work have been published by Setanta Books, Brilliant Parade (2012), and Ten Miles West (2023).  

A pioneer of New York City street photography, Harold Feinstein's intimate portraits of urban life reveal a deep sense of empathetic humanity. Through his lens, he connects with the world around him, sharing the experiences of everyday people with grace and compassion. While influenced by the likes of W. Eugene Smith and Henri Cartier-Bresson, Feinstein was not a photographer who would stand back and observe, unnoticed by his subjects.  

Beginning his photography journey at an early age Feinstein would become one of the most prominent figures in the vanguard of the New York City Street photography scene, joining the famed Photo League at just seventeen with The New York Times labelling him ‘One of the most accomplished recorders of the American experience’.   

‘The images that resulted, people in Times Square, Harlem, and on the crowded beaches of Feinstein’s native Coney Island, are marked by a singular level of intimacy and compassion. Feinstein was only 19 when his work was acquired for the Museum of Modern Art, and he had major shows at both MoMA and the Whitney, but despite early success his extensive collection of street photography has flown largely under the radar.’ - Air Mail 

The work of Larry Fink, who died in November 2023 aged 82, transcends traditional boundaries, capturing the raw energy and humanity of his subjects. His ability to cross class barriers and document real-life moments earned Fink widespread acclaim in the photographic community. His work has been exhibited internationally including notable solo shows at New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of Modern Art, among many others. 

British photographer Nico Froehlich’s work celebrates the overlooked and the everyday, with a particular focus on social realism and working-class life. Froehlich’s personal work has received recognition and acclaim. He is the recipient of various awards such as the Creative Review Photography Annual, Lens Culture Portrait Award, Lucie Foundation Award, and the Royal Photographic Society Exposure Award. He has also had consecutive winning portraits in the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Britain.  

Greg Girard is a Canadian photographer whose first photographs were made in Vancouver, Canada, where he grew up in the early 1970s. Between 1972 and 1982, Girard developed an interest in the effects of artificial light on colour film at night, and subject matter dealing with the social and physical underside of the city. During this period, he also made his first trips to Asia and South-East Asia, documenting his travels and publishing them in a series of photobooks. His work has appeared in publications including National Geographic and Stern as well as being internationally exhibited. 

Baldwin Lee is known for his documentation of Black lives in the American South in the 1980s. His images would depict Black people at home, at work, and at play, in the street, and among nature. Lee is a Tennessee-based photographer and former university professor of photography. He studied with Minor White at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and received a Bachelor of Science in 1972. At Yale University, he was taught by Walker Evans and was given the opportunity to print Evans’s photographs. His solo exhibition at David Hill Gallery in 2023 was met with critical acclaim, with Time Out stating, ‘You won’t see a better show of photography this year. Maybe ever.’ 

‘Baldwin Lee is one of those artists who teach us to see’ - The New York Times 

Marc Riboud, born in Saint-Genis-Laval, discovered his passion for photography during World War II while active in the French Resistance. His ability to capture fleeting moments led him to join Magnum Photos and become one of the first European photographers to travel to China and North Vietnam. Riboud's powerful compositions have earned him prestigious awards and major retrospective exhibitions at renowned institutions like the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris and the International Center of Photography in New York. 

John Simmons is a multifaceted artist, acclaimed as an Emmy award-winning cinematographer, photographer, painter, collage artist, and professor. Raised in Chicago during the politically charged 1960s, Simmons' talent was nurtured by influential figures like Robert 'Bobby' Sengstacke. His career spans decades, marked by contributions to film, academia, and visual arts. Simmons' photography, showcased in prestigious collections worldwide, reflects his diverse experiences and unwavering commitment to artistic expression. His work has earned him numerous accolades, including three Emmy nominations and induction into esteemed institutions like the American Society of Cinematographers. 

Shane Taylor, co-founder of Framelines, is an Irish photographer based in London. His work explores the hidden romance and poetry found in everyday city life through an empathetic and humanist eye. His candid street photography style captures the organic essence of his surroundings, making the viewer feel like they stood where he once stood. He has published two books and has been commissioned by Condé Nast Traveller, Belmond, Huawei and Campari. 

The exhibition will also include works from editorial and commercial photographer Michelle Groskopf, Transylvanian-born Ioana Marinca who utilises a visual diary approach, the nostalgic gaze of New York-based Oscar Diaz, Joshua K. Jackson’s explorations of the paradoxical relationships between people and their environment, and the essence of belonging and the concept of ‘home’ at the heart of Aleesha Coker’s works. 

From the streets of Brooklyn to the alleyways of Tokyo, Street Life offers a captivating journey through the heart of urban landscapes. These photographers invite viewers to see the world through their eyes, revealing the beauty and complexity hidden within the bustling streets of our cities. 

Street Life artists: Lisa Barlow, Mario Carnicelli, Alesha Coker, Oscar Diaz, Billy Dinh, Josh Edgoose, Harold Feinstein, Larry Fink, Nico Froehlich, Greg Girard, Michelle Groskopf, Joshua K. Jackson, Baldwin Lee, Ioana Marinca, Marc Riboud, Richard Sander, John Simmons, Shane Taylor, Andre D. Wagner