Articles

“Gowanus: Off The Water’s Surface” is a photographic series by Steven Hirsch that captures the severely polluted waters of the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, New York. The images emphasize high contrast, revealing the disturbing state of the canal’s environment while remaining authentic photographs. Hirsch’s series highlights the contrast between aesthetic beauty and environmental degradation in an urban setting. Read Article

The Gowanus Canal in New York City is known as one of the most polluted water bodies in the US and has been designated a Superfund site. Photographer Steven Hirsch captures the canal's surface, revealing vibrant, abstract patterns and colors reminiscent of Jackson Pollock’s paintings. His series, “Gowanus: Off The Water’s Surface,” presents these otherworldly water formations as fine art. Hirsch's work is exhibited at New York’s Lilac Gallery through December 15, 2014, showcasing the toxic yet stunning beauty of the canal’s contaminated waters. Read Article

The Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, known as one of the world’s most polluted waterways, has been captured in striking photographs by artist Steven Hirsch. His images reveal the canal's contaminated surface, showcasing vivid geometric shapes and psychedelic colors formed by pollutants. Despite the environmental damage, Hirsch found a unique, abstract beauty resembling paintings by Monet in the polluted water. The canal, a former industrial hub now designated as a Superfund site, contains hazardous chemicals like PCBs, heavy metals, and PAHs, posing health risks to local wildlife and residents. Cleanup efforts costing over $500 million are underway but will take years. Read Article

Photographer Steven Hirsch revisited the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, a notoriously polluted waterway, and captured striking images of the colorful and oily sludge floating on its surface. Initially uninterested in the canal during his youth, Hirsch was inspired by the psychedelic hues and patterns created by rising gas bubbles and slime layers, which he enhanced through contrast and saturation adjustments. Despite the health risks posed by the toxic fumes, Hirsch documented these abstract scenes over several mornings, aiming to showcase the unique aesthetic rather than make a statement about pollution. His work is exhibited at the Lilac Gallery as part of "Gowanus: Off The Water’s Surface." Read Article

The Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn is one of the most polluted waterways in the United States, contaminated by decades of industrial waste and runoff. Despite its severe pollution, photographer Steven Hirsch has captured striking images that reveal an abstract and unexpected beauty within the polluted water. The canal has been granted Superfund status by the federal government, marking it for an eventual cleanup. Hirsch’s work is compiled in the photobook "Gowanus Waters," published by powerHouse Books on March 1. Read Article

Steven Hirsch’s photo series "Gowanus: Off the Water’s Surface" transforms the polluted Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn into striking images that resemble impressionist paintings or acid trip visuals. The canal, declared a superfund site in 2010 due to toxic sludge, shows vibrant colors and textures caused by light reflecting off toxic accumulation. Hirsch captured these surreal scenes despite challenging conditions, including wearing a gas mask to photograph highly polluted areas. The exhibit is currently showcased at the Lilac Gallery in Flatiron, inviting viewers to reexamine Brooklyn’s environmental landscape. Read Article

Steven Hirsch’s photographic series "Gowanus Waters," published by Powerhouse Books, captures the toxic surface of Brooklyn's heavily polluted Gowanus Canal. His close-up images transform industrial runoff and pollution, accumulated over 150 years, into mesmerizing psychedelic abstractions with vivid purples, greens, blues, and rainbow hues. Although the canal is a designated EPA Superfund Site undergoing cleanup, the photographs offer a striking visual record of the waterway’s polluted past and present, raising awareness about its environmental condition amid ongoing neighborhood development. Read Article

Waiting for the Sun is Josef Hoflehner's first all-color photobook, showcasing his shift from dramatic black-and-white landscapes to vibrant images. The series highlights the golden age of the American car industry during the 1960s and 1970s, an era known for exceptional car designs. Preferring large format and empty spaces, Hoflehner’s work is praised for engaging viewers deeply, encouraging them to reflect and interpret each photograph. The book includes an introduction by his son Jakob Hoflehner and is self-published. It was also featured in an exhibition in Brussels from September to November 2017. Read Article

This interview accompanies the release of the photobook Farewell Cape Town by Sophie Bouillon and Benjamin Hoffman. Hoffman lived and photographed in Cape Town for several months, capturing the city's intense contrasts and exploring the relationship between people and their environment through black and white images taken with a smartphone. Bouillon reflects on her personal connection to South Africa, blending autobiographical writing with voices from local inhabitants to portray the complexity and diversity of Cape Town's society. The book combines intimate photography with evocative text to present a nuanced perspective on the city's past and present. Read Article

This article presents a selection of five photography books that explore intimate and collective memories as well as rituals from past and present times. The books include 'Farewell Cape Town,' which features black-and-white photographs capturing the socio-political landscape of Cape Town, and 'Jamais je ne t’oublierai' by Carolle Benitah, which uses family photographs to reflect on the concept of the family myth. Other featured works include 'Maroc, Un temps suspendu,' evoking an evocative portrait of Morocco, 'Elegy for the Mundane,' a poetic visual journey by Gaël Bonnefon, and Simon Vansteenwinckel’s 'Platteland,' depicting surreal, underground scenes in black and white. Read Article

This photo gallery showcases early images by renowned photographer Thomas Hoepker, featuring a diverse array of subjects from the 1950s to 1970s. Highlights include lifeguards on a Sydney beach, Muhammad Ali being fitted for a suit in London, a clown at a Nevada lunch counter, and street scenes from Italy and the US. The collection offers a glimpse into historical moments and everyday life across various locations, captured with Hoepker's keen eye for detail and humanity. Read Article

In 1963, photojournalist Thomas Hoepker traveled across the USA for three months, documenting the country for the German magazine Kristall. Nearly sixty years later, in 2020, he retraced the same route, capturing contemporary images with modern Leica equipment. Both series are featured in the new book "The Way it was. Road Trips USA" and displayed at the Ernst Leitz Museum. Hoepker's work reveals the evolving American landscape and society, juxtaposing his early black-and-white photographs with later color images that reflect a more personal and reflective perspective. Read Article