DISPATCH - MARCH 29, 2013 (8:30 a.m.)
EAST HAMPTON, NY-
Street photographer Matt Weber is having a mini-survey of sorts opening at Harper's Books in East Hampton this weekend. The exhibition will be unveiled with much fun and fanfare on Saturday with an artist opening, a live auction and preview filled with mystery and The Bizarre II party. All of the festivities are free.
Sifting through untold treasures begins tomorrow at 10 a.m. The possibilities could include books, photographs, posters, artworks and tchotchkes. The live auction will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. The opening for "Matt Weber" will also be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Afterwards, The Bizarre II party will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Festivities include food, drinks, book deals and music by DJ Mister Lama.
All of the events take place at Harper's Books, a rare book store and art gallery. The first floor offers books focusing on art, photography and collectible literary books. The second floor is devoted to an art gallery. Typically, art is also installed among the book store on the ground floor so there's always an art vibe present.
Matt Weber's opening on Saturday marks the third solo show at Harper's Books for the street photographer (and former taxi driver). The exhibition includes around 29 photographs culled from the past 25 years and forms an "informal retrospect," according to the gallery. Weber works primarily in black and white and the streets of New York City are the subject of most of his work.
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Light Up! by Matt Weber, 1989. Courtesy Harper's Books.
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Weber's diverse body of work includes images made from scenes unfolding in subways, sidewalks and from taxi cab windows.
"...Weber has cultivated an instantly recognizable aesthetic rooted in the spontaneous relationships between city and subject," according to book store owner Harper Levine. "He draws upon the traditions of analog photography in an era of digital manipulation, bringing the art of Henri Cartier-‐Bresson’s “decisive moment” into the twenty-first century."
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"Chuck Taylor Girl" by Matt Weber, 2005. Courtesy Harper's Books.
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"Catholic School Girls" by Matt Weber, 2000. Courtesy Harper's Books.
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Weber's new exhibition is the third solo show held at Harper's Books. Previous solo shows were held in 2007 and 2009. In addition to his photographs, Weber has two books on his work and is the subject of the documentary "More Than the Rainbow. The film premiered at IFC in November 2012. His books are Urban Prisoner (Sanctuary Books, 2004) and Obama (Sanctuary Books and Harper's Books, 2009).
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"9-11-01" by Matt Weber, 2001. Courtesy Harper's Books.
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BASIC FACTS: "Matt Weber" opens March 30, 2013 and remains on view through May 20, 2013 in the upstairs gallery at Harper's Books, 87 Newtown Lane, East Hampton, NY 11937. www.harpersbooks.com.
Live Auction and “The Bizarre II” party takes place on Saturday (March 30). Auction items can be previewed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The live auction and artist reception takes place from 6 to 7 p.m. At 7 p.m., The Bizarre Party II launches and runs until 10 p.m. The party includes food, drinks, book deals and music by DJ Mister Lama. All of the festivities are free.
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