Behind the Binding | Spring | Part 3

Dustin Pittman | New York After Dark| June 14

David Campany | On Photographs | June 21

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of photography at Leica Store and Gallery Meatpacking with our electrifying Saturday Morning series, Behind the Binding! Join us for invigorating conversations with renowned photographers, unraveling the stories behind their captivating works and acclaimed books.

Following each talk, indulge in signed books, bagels, and brewed coffee with the artist!

Seating is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot in advance!

Dustin Pittman | New York After Dark| June 14

Dustin Pittman amassed an archive of 100,000 photographs chronicling the untamed corners of New York City’s after-hours nightlife, from shadowy underground haunts to prestigious galleries and clubs. This “wish I was there” book unveils the vibrant pop culture scene of New York during the 1970s and ’80s.

Pittman was not just an observer but was an active participant in the places and events that shaped pop culture as we know it—the goings- on at Andy Warhol’s Factory, the women’s liberation movements of the 1970s, the VIP room at Studio 54, and the nascent punk scene at CBGB and The Mudd Club. Through Pittman’s lens, readers are provided an intimate glimpse into the intersecting worlds of fashion and celebrity, music, art, and politics—from the glam rock underground and the golden age of disco to the ateliers of the world’s most famous fashion designers such as Halston, Yves Saint Laurent, and Calvin Klein. Pittman was witness to such rising stars as Blondie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, The New York Dolls, and Roxy Music, as well as seminal cultural figures including Raquel Welch, Truman Capote, Diana Ross, Tina Chow, Brooke Shields, Jerry Hall, Divine, and Liza Minnelli—all caught in spontaneous, unguarded New York moments.

A vast majority are previously unpublished images of some of the most iconic and revered figures of the late 20th century, accompanied by firsthand observations and remembrances by Pittman. The book features an introductory essay offering an objective view of Pittman’s work and importance as a chronicle of the music, art, and fashion scenes.

David Campany | On Photographs| June 21

In On Photographs, curator and writer David Campany presents an exploration of photography in 120 photographs. Proceeding not by chronology or genre or photographer, Campany's eclectic selection unfolds according to its own logic. We see work by Henri Cartier-Bresson, William Eggleston, Helen Levitt, Garry Winogrand, Yves Louise Lawler, Andreas Gursky, and Rineke Dijkstra. There is fashion photography by William Klein, one of Vivian Maier's contact sheets, and a carefully staged scene by Gregory Crewdson, as well as images culled from magazines and advertisements. Each of the 120 photographs is accompanied by Campany's lucid and incisive commentary, considering the history of that image and its creator, interpreting its content and meaning, and connecting and contextualizing it with visual culture. Image by image, we absorb and appreciate Campany's complex yet playful take on photography and its history.

The title, On Photographs, alludes to Susan Sontag's influential and groundbreaking On Photography. As an undergraduate, Campany met Sontag and questioned her assessment of photography without including specific photographs. Sontag suggested that someday Campany could write his own book on the subject, titled On Photographs. Now he has.

About the Speakers

Dustin Pittman, with his lens, captured the essence of this vibrant era, blending into the city's diverse cultural scenes, from the underground art world to the glamorous fashion and music industries. His latest book, "Dustin Pittman: New York After Dark," published by Rizzoli Publications, offers a captivating glimpse into this era, showcasing Pittman's unique ability to document the city's nightlife with unparalleled intimacy and flair.

Pittman's journey into photography began in the Adirondack Mountains, where he grew up. His fascination with photography was sparked by fashion and music magazines he devoured at the local mall. After working on the set of "The Sterile Cuckoo," starring Liza Minnelli, Pittman moved to New York City in February 1969. He enrolled at the School of Visual Arts for film and photography, marking the beginning of his career as a photographer.

Warhol's Factory was a hub for artistic innovation and experimentation, and Pittman's involvement in this scene provided him with unparalleled access to the city's avant-garde community. He often attended cabarets and clubs with Warhol, meeting other influential figures like Lou Reed and Taylor Mead. These experiences shaped Pittman's photographic style, which blended spontaneity with a deep understanding of the cultural context.

David Campany is a curator, writer, editor, educator and Creative Director of the International Center of Photography, New York.

David has worked worldwide with institutions including Tate, Whitechapel Gallery London, MoMA New York, Centre Pompidou, Le Bal Paris, ICP New York, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Fundacion MAPFRE Spain, The Photographer’s Gallery London, ParisPhoto, PhotoLondon, The National Portrait Gallery London. He has published with Aperture, Steidl, MIT Press, Thames & Hudson, Phaidon, MACK, Frieze, The New Yorker, The FT Weekend, and The Telegraph.

Recent curatorial projects include IMMERSION: Gregory Halpern, Raymond Meeks and Vasantha Yogananthan (International Center of Photography, New York, 2023), William Klein: Yes. Photographs, Paintings, Films 1948-2013 (International Center of Photography, New York, 2022), ACTUAL SIZE! Photography at Life Scale (International Center of Photography, New York, 2022); A Trillion Sunsets: A Century of Image Overload (International Center of Photography, New York, 2022); Gillian Laub: Family Matters (International Center of Photography, New York, 2021); A Handful of Dust (various venues worldwide, 2015-2022); Alex Majoli: SCENE (Le Bal, Paris, 2019); The Still Point of the Turning World: Between Film and Photography (FoMu Antwerp, 2017).

In 2020, David curated the three-city Biennale für aktuelle Fotografie 2020 – The Lives and Loves of Images (Mannheim/Ludwigshafen/Heidelberg, Germany), working with 70 artists from 13 countries.

David’s many books include Indeterminacy: Thoughts on Time, The Image and Race(ism), co-written with Stanley Wolukau-Wanambwa (MACK 2022), Victor Burgin’s Photopath (MACK 2022), On Photographs (Thames & Hudson 2020), So Present, So Invisible – conversations on photography (Contrasto 2018), A Handful of Dust (MACK 2015), The Open Road: photography and the American road trip (Aperture S2014), Walker Evans: the magazine work (Steidl 2014), Gasoline (MACK 2013), Jeff Wall: Picture for Women (MIT Press/ After all 2010), Photography and Cinema (Reaktion 2008) and Art and Photography (Phaidon 2003). He has written over three hundred essays for monographs, museums, and magazines.

David has a Phd and has taught photography theory and practice at all levels from undergraduate to Phd. For his books and writing he has received the ICP Infinity Award, the Kraszna-Krausz Book Award, the Alice Award, a Deutscher Fotobuchpreis, and the Royal Photographic Society award.