Sarah Hermanson Meister

The photographer Berenice Abbott once mused, "How shall the two-dimensional print in black-and-white suggest the flux of activity of the metropolis, the interaction of human beings and solid architectural constructions, all impinging upon each other in time?" Picturing New York presents a myriad of answers to this question. Depicting both the iconic New York that captivates the world's imagination and the idiosyncratic details that define New Yorkers' sense of home, this anthology of photographs from The Museum of Modern Art's extraordinary collection reveals New York in all its vitality, ambition and beauty. Taken by artists pursuing their own curiosity as well as professionals on assignment, the works reveal a deeply symbiotic relationship between photography and the city, each delving into a new corner of New York while expanding the boundaries of photography as an art form. The selection comprises both celebrated images and lesser-known gems from the collection, accompanied by evocative excerpts from literary works about New York.