Christopher Thomas | Steven Kasher Gallery

I've always thought New York City is most beautiful during the holiday season (provided there isn't any icky slush mucking up my shoes and pant legs) but may have to reconsider my opinion after seeing Christopher Thomas' New York Sleeps at Steven Kasher Gallery.  "After years of photographing his native Munich, Thomas turned his camera on his adopted city, New York. The resulting exhibition of 30 large-scale cityscapes feels both nostalgic and contemporary, offering an elusive glimpse of 19th century tranquility while hinting at a cryptic apocalyptic ending just around the bend," (from the exhibit's press release).

Thomas' photos of quiet, empty New York streets capture the rare moments when the city is still and calm.  The large, black-and-white prints are hauntingly beautiful and mysterious.  A picture of Lower East Side institution, Katz's Delicatessen, presumably taken in the wee hours when there isn't a soul around or even a single car on the roads, is a sight to behold and down-right eerie.  Other images of heavily-trafficked New York landmarks deserted like Central Park, Times Square, Grand Central Station, and the Brooklyn Bridge are lovely and serene, albeit slightly creepy.  They make you wonder, "Where the f*ck is everybody?" and bring to mind the campy, last-man-alive flick from 1971, The Omega Man.

Check out Christopher Thomas: New York Sleeps and see a side of New York City few of us ever have the opportunity of experiencing for ourselves.  Learn more at Stevenkasher.com.  Through January 9, 2010.

Brooklyn Bridge III, 2008

Central Park, Bethesda Fountain IV, 2009

Grand Central Terminal & Chrysler Building, 2008
Wall Street, 2009

Grand Central Terminal II, 2001

Katz's Deli, 2001

Times Square, 2009

Comments

[Art Hag]

Thanks so much for the info, Angela!

[Angela]

I don't know if you care to know now (I see this post is from 2009) but this is done with a "long" exposure. He leaves the shutter open for a good couple of seconds, or even minutes, long enough to where moving figures don't show up in the photograph. This also has to be done late at night/early in the morning so it is dark enough that the lights are the only source of light to his camera. They are what illuminate everything. These are amazing. I've been looking for that Grand Central Terminal shot for a while. Thanks for posting these.