Weegee, born Arthur Fellig, is celebrated for his stark and candid photographs of New York's gritty underbelly in the 1930s and 1940s. However, his later works in California and Europe, which incorporate satire and technical tricks, often get overlooked. The exhibition "Society of the Spectacle" seeks to reconcile these contrasting styles of Weegee's photography, highlighting his ongoing fascination with spectacle and cultural commentary. This compilation reflects on both his celebrated and derided contributions to photography, providing an insightful exploration of his dual identity as an artist.
"My real name is Arthur Fellig. But I don't even recognise it when I see it. I created this monster, Weegee, and I can't get rid of it. It's like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde."
Weegee's later photographs produced in California and Europe, while often derided, employ a different style that seems a world apart from his earlier, gritty New York work.
The exhibition Society of the Spectacle attempts to realign Weegee's contradictory bodies of work, emphasizing his fascination with spectacle and culture.
Weegee is best known for his tabloid images of New York City in the 1930s and 1940s featuring gangsters, crime scenes, and accidents.
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