In 1968, photographer Bill Cunningham embarked on an eight-year project to document the architectural riches and fashion history of New York City. Scouring the city’s thrift stores, auction houses, and street fairs for vintage clothing, and scouting sites on his bicycle, Cunningham generated a photographic essay entitled Facades, which paired models—in particular his muse, fellow photographer Editta Sherman—in period costumes with historic settings.
Although by turns whimsical and bold, Cunningham’s project also was part of the larger cultural zeitgeist in New York City, during an era in which issues surrounding both the preservation and the problems of the urban landscape loomed large. The photographer donated 88 silver gelatin prints from the series to the New-York Historical Society in 1976, and now, almost four decades later, Cunningham’s work will be reconsidered in a show that will highlight the historical perspective the photographs suggest—not just of the distant past, but of the particular time in which they were created.
Press
Huffington Post: This Bill Cunningham Exhibit Gives Street Style A Whole New Meaning
Architectural Digest: BILL CUNNINGHAM'S PERIOD FASHION PHOTOS GO ON VIEW AT THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
AP: BILL CUNNINGHAM'S 'FACADE' PHOTOS AT NYC MUSEUM
New York Times: Landmarks of Fashion
The New York Times Style Magazine: A History of New York Fashion and Architecture, Through Bill Cunningham’s Lens
Examiner: Bill Cunningham’s ‘Facades’ at New-York Historical Society
Women's Wear Daily: New York Historical Society to Spotlight Bill Cunningham
Details: New Photography Exhibition Shows a Side of Bill Cunningham's Work You've Never Seen Before
Blouin Art Info: Bill Cunningham’s Fashionable Façades
We Heart: Face Value
The Washington Post: Bill Cunningham’s ‘Facade’ on view in NYC
The Sartorialist: Bill Cunningham: Facades at the New-York Historical Society
Washington Square News: Cunningham juxtaposes fashion, architecture in exhibit
The Daily Traveler: Vintage Views of New York, Courtesy of Bill Cunningham
West Side Rag: EYE-OPENING PHOTOS NOW ON EXHIBIT AT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Architectural Digest: BILL CUNNINGHAM'S PERIOD FASHION PHOTOS GO ON VIEW AT THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Mass Appeal: BILL CUNNINGHAM’S “FAÇADE” PRESENTED BY THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY