WEINBERGER SHOW OPENS TONIGHT

Tonight at the Anna Kustera gallery, check out the opening of Karlheinz Weinberger's "Halbstarke to Bikers in Color." You might remember the late Karlheinz's work from The Barking Dog issue's table of contents. He's been one of our favorite photographers since before we can remember. Famous for documenting incredible-looking juvenile delinquents in Switzerland in the late 50s and early 60s, he's also known for having his style ripped off by contemporary fashion designers, photographers, and stylists, like, all the time. Many of his books are out of print, so make sure you pop over to this opening in time to see what's what. Details below.

Anna Kustera
520 W. 21st St.
New York, NY 10011

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

And if you want to see more, check out Weinberger's other show running at the Swiss Institute through March 26th. John McSwain provides the low down for that one: I hate to begin this by talking about politics for fear of losing your extremely short, internet-ravaged attention span, but in light of the protests in Egypt and general dissent that's beginning to spread around the Arab world, my interest in rebels and rebellions has been heightened. The notion of rebellion seems very distant in post 9-11, current teabag-everyone America so, if nothing else, it's refreshing to see people in other parts of the world fight for something and get their way. Weinberger's photographs exist in a far away time, place, and political landscape from today's America. His subjects were members of mid-century Swiss outlaw biker gangs. Caught between more recognizable names like Larry Clark and Kenneth Anger--but predating both--Weinberger began photographing small groups of working class kids in the late 50's. These self-named "rebels" rejected the norms of post-war Swiss society and lovingly embraced the American rebel aesthetic of Elvis, James Dean and Marlon Brando. The photographs, black and white, unmatted and uniformly framed, depict Weinberger as a intimate stranger. His distance from these subjects is far enough to suggest that he's not one of them, but just close enough to capture moments no other could not see. Many of his photos focus on jacket-back insignias, or on kids just bumming around. Due to a lack of options, the gangs would hang at parks or in the woods, creating a more ominous retreat from society/back to the land vibe. Many of Weinberger's photos are really just beautiful portraits. The most interesting pictures, though, are his detail shots. By displaying the clothing and tattoos of his biker groups, Weinberger gave real insight into a fascinating culture (Elvis Presley hand tattoos? MASSIVE belt buckles? Yes, please). His standpoint feels at once journalistic, yet sexually intimate. It's a lovingly crafted and well preserved look at a subculture who got their cues from Americans post-war rebellion, back when that was possible and, yes, very cool. Curated by Gianni Jetzer in collaboration with the Estate of Karlheinz Weinberger,

Intimate Stranger

is on display at the Swiss Institute through March 26, 2011. There's also a worth-owning book for sale there too.

Karlheinz Weinberger Intimate Stranger Swiss Institute 495 Broadway, 3rd floor NY, NY 10012

JOHN MCSWAIN