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Artist's Statement
Statement of Work
GEORGE FORSS is an internationally-known photographer of black and white New York City images. George has had one-person exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum, The New York Public Library, and the Musée d'Orange in France, among many other venues.
George has photographed New York City extensively since the 1970’s. Early in his career, when George was selling his photographs on a New York City sidewalk, he was discovered by the renowned photographer David Douglas Duncan. In 1984, Duncan produced a book of George's work called New York New York: Masterworks of a Street Peddler, published by McGraw Hill.
For almost ten years during the 1990’s and into the early 2000’s, we worked with George on what we call "The Access Project." Through the gracious help of our clients and friends, we were able to give George access to some of the most spectacular, and occasionally rare, views of New York City. George’s keen eye for the complexities of the New York City skyline, along with this variety of unique locales, created a beautiful body of work.
It addresses both the most iconic and surprising aspects of the city. George finds just as much resonance in the World Trade Center as in water towers, the same beauty in the Concorde as in a grain terminal. George was able to have the city at his fingertips and with that opportunity, he created his own love letter to, and vision of, New York City.
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GEORGE FORSS
“George Forss gives us images of extraordinary vitality. He sees with an incisive eye and haunting spirit. I have seen no photographs of recent years as strong and as perceptive.” - Ansel Adams
“I feel in these striking photographs the pulse of a sensitive eye that is not overcast by ‘concepts’.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson
“Unbelievable! Great photographs of New York–This man can see!” - Alfred Eisenstaedt
“Forss’ photographs are portraits that unveil the hidden face of the city, to reveal the magical innocence behind the grime–the surrealistic poetry behind the harsh reality.” - Yousuf Karsh
“The photographs of George Forss confirm the notion that true genius will emerge despite the greatest odds.” - Gordon Parks
“Forss’ talents are special–he captures New York, after all. I hope his book is as successful as a fine evening over our harbor.” - Norman Mailer
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
* indicates solo show
2007
PARK SLOPE GALLERY
“SUSPENSION!: THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE IN ART AND EPHEMERA”
2002
THE RONNA AND ERIC HOFFMAN GALLERY OF CONTEMPORARY ART,
LEWIS AND CLARK COLLEGE, PORTLAND, OREGON
“LEARNING TO LOOK: PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE RONNA AND ERIC
HOFFMAN COLLECTION”
*PARK SLOPE GALLERY, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,
“THE WAY WE WERE; THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF GEORGE FORSS 1977-2000”
1996
*PARK SLOPE GALLERY, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,
“GOTHAM REVEALED: A NEW NEW YORK,”
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM UPCOMING BOOK PROJECT
1995
*PFIZER CORPORATE CONFERENCE CENTER, NEW YORK (PERMANENT)
1994
*MUSÉE D’ORANGE, ORANGE, FRANCE, MAJOR RETROSPECTIVE
*GRENOBLE MUSEUM, GRENOBLE, FRANCE, MAJOR RETROSPECTIVE
1993
*WESTON TOWN HALL, WESTON, CONNECTICUT
“NEW YORK BY FORSS”
*PARK SLOPE GALLERY, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A RETROSPECTIVE OF
WORK THROUGH 1993
*CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY, WOODSTOCK, NEW YORK
*SOUTHERN VERMONT ART CENTER, MANCHESTER, VERMONT
1988
*PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL, 42ND STREET, NEW YORK, NEW
YORK
*CAMERA CLUB OF NEW YORK, “GEORGE FORSS BLACK AND WHITE
PHOTOGRAPHY”
1986
*BOWERY SAVINGS BANK, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, “A FORSS VIEW OF
NEW YORK”
BROOKLYN MUSEUM, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, “A HUNDRED YEARS OF
PHOTOGRAPHY”
*HOBAR GALLERY, SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, “WESTERN IMAGES”
1985
*NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAIN BRANCH AT 42ND STREET,
“NEW YORK BY GEORGE FORSS”
*POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO GALLERY, NEW YORK, NEW YORK,
“NEW YORK NEW YORK II”
*SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, WINDOW MURAL
COMMISSION
*BOWERY SAVINGS BANK, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, TRAVELING
EXHIBITION
GRACIE SQUARE ART SHOW, NEW YORK
*HOBAR GALLERY, SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA
ROTUNDA GALLERY, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, “THE BROOKLYN
LANDSCAPE”
1984
*BROOKLYN MUSEUM, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,
“NEW YORK BY GEORGE FORSS: THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF A STREET
PEDDLER”
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2002
LEARNING TO LOOK, PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE RONNA AND ERIC HOFFMAN
GALLERY OF CONTEMPORARY ART
PHOTO: QE II IN NEW YORK, 1977
2000
QUINDLEN, ANNA, A SHORT GUIDE TO A HAPPY LIFE, RANDOM HOUSE
TWO PHOTOS: IVY STUDY, 1978 AND WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK
1999
LUCIANA, JAMES, BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY: MANIFEST
VISIONS,
AN INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION, ROCKPORT PHOTO: UPTOWN
PANORAMA, VIEW FROM 22ND STREET, NEW YORK CITY, 1987
1996
LOKE, MARGARETT, “INSIDE PHOTOGRAPHY,”
NEW YORK TIMES, AUGUST 16, 1996
1994
DUNCAN, DAVID DOUGLAS, GEORGE FORSS (EXHIBITION CATALOGUE)
MUSÉE D’ORANGE, ORANGE, FRANCE
“EXPOSING BROOKLYN: PHOTOGRAPHS AT BORO HALL,” COURIER
LIFESTYLES, JANUARY 3, 1994
1993
TYLER, BETTY, “FORSS SIGHT,” THE FAIRFIELD COUNTY ADVOCATE,
MARCH 25, 1993
RAYNOR, VIVIEN, “TRANSFORMING THE COMMON PLACE INTO UNCOMMON
IMAGES,” NEW YORK TIMES, APRIL 18,1993
1991
AUPPERTEE, WILLIAM, “STARS IN VERMONT SUMMER SKY”
MANCHESTER JOURNAL, AUGUST 21, 1991
1990
“GEORGE FORSS, 48, PHOTOGRAPHER”
HUDSON VALLEY, JANUARY 1990
1988
SEAPORT MAGAZINE, 1988/89 WINTER ISSUE
PHOTO: LOWER MANHATTAN FROM FERRY, 1988
1987
ART GALLERY INTERNATIONAL (MAGAZINE)
SCHWALBERG, BOB, “WHY SHOOT BLACK & WHITE?”
POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY, FEBRUARY, 1987
1986
PHOTOGRAPH OF GEORGE FORSS AT HOBAR GALLERY
MONTIECITO LIFE, SEPTEMBER 11, 1986
1985
COX, MAUREEN, “PORTRAIT OF GEORGE FORSS”
PHOTOGRAPHER’S FORUM, SEPTEMBER, 1985
COX, MAUREEN, “STREETWISE CELEBRITY,”
NEW YORK ALIVE, MARCH / APRIL, 1985
1984
DUNCAN, DAVID DOUGLAS, NEW YORK / NEW YORK, MASTERWORKS OF
A STREET PEDDLER, MCGRAW HILL, 1984
RIMER, SARA, “FROM A STREET PEDDLER, VISION OF THE CITY”
NEW YORK TIMES, MARCH 26, 1984
DUNCAN, DAVID DOUGLAS “NEW YORK / NEW YORK: MASTERPIECES OF
A STREET PHOTOGRAPHER,” READER’S DIGEST, AUGUST, 1984
WILSON, J., “TAKING NEW YORK BY FORSS,” ART NEWS, SEPTEMBER,
1984
WHITE, JOYCE, “SIDEWALK SUCCESS,” DAILY NEWS, OCTOBER 1,
1984
DE WAN, GEORGE, “SIDEWALK PHOTOGRAPHER,”
NEWSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1984
HUBBARD, KIMBERLY, “DUNCAN’S DISCOVERY,” FYI, OCTOBER 22,
1984
“A STREET PEDDLER CLICKS AS A PHOTOGRAPHER,” PEOPLE WEEKLY,
NOVEMBER, 1984
1981
PAUL GRAY, “ONE MAN MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS,” TIME, JUNE 29,
1981