The International Center of Photography‘s Weegee exhibition is by far the most spectacular and fascinating photography display I’ve observed.  Weegee, a photographer, was renowned for his dedication to depicting murder scenes and rioting crowds throughout New York City in his own light.  The exhibition began with large text on the wall that stated, “WEEGEE- MURDER IS MY BUISNESS.” When proceeding through the exhibition, there was a multitude of black and white photographs, all different in the messages they conveyed.  Some were humorous; for example, the irony of a murder in one picture with the movie poster of “The Joy of Living” above it gave the photo the character in which Weegee intended.

On the other side of the Weegee exhibit, was an installment of what Weegee’s bedroom looked like.  There was an array of newspaper articles hung on the wall around a tiny bed.  The model bedroom shows the commitment to Weegee’s work.  Documentary photography truly was his life.

The question of whether Weegee’s work is art or simply documentary (objective versus subjective) is still on the table.  There is no denial of the documentary and factual basis of Weegee’s photography.  However, with the lines of “what is art?” jumping and shifting for each person’s perspective, classification of Weegee’s photography truly is debatable.  The addition of humor and irony seem to add the “artist’s” touch  to the work.  The staging and decision of what to include in each picture is evidence enough that Weegee had a purpose of creating an effective, yet factual piece of work.  Regardless, Weegee’s exhibition displays the true genius of capturing the attention of the audience and showing clear, but subtle artistic qualities.