“And money…” is what I thought about every time Leica’s heads talked about art, photography, and community in their speech at the company’s new flagship Leica Gallery store in the Meatpacking District in NYC. It’s kind of obvious — they’re next to Rolex, Tudor, Apple, and several other hotels I haven’t been to while sober. The area balances the line between tourist trap, history, and the wealthy. But deep into the back of the store’s first floor is a gallery exhibit featuring Elliot Erwitt — and I’d argue to say that it’s the best display of his images we’ve seen. And that’s not even the best part.
Check out the Leica Gallery Store located in the Meatpacking District.
The store has a ton of Leica gear you can see, try, and experience. And I truly encourage you to do so whenever you can. But you should also remember the important part: making images with the gear. For the moment, there’s a beautiful gallery exhibit from Elliot Erwitt. But what’s even better is how Leica displays the prints. First off, Leica’s walls are either brick or wood. They’re all painted greenish gray, allowing for anything to be displayed well. It looks about a shade or two darker than 18% gray, which is incredible. It means that the images will have the best balance between light and dark as a background. Best of all, there are also no reflections on the artwork.
Truly, it’s unlike anything I ever thought I’d see in the Meatpacking District. When I went to the Whitney Museum many months ago, I commented to my friend about the awful lighting on some of the prints the museum hosted. But in contrast, the Leica Gallery store treats images with respect. It’s a refreshing perspective in a world where Japanese manufacturers paint the Content Creator label on photographers, journalists, YouTubers, etc. And truly, we’re far more than that.
The second floor is the thing I’m most excited about at the new Leica Gallery story. This is where the company will host a few events, a bar, and a small library of photo books. But this isn’t just any library — it’s curated by Todd Hido. The library includes a book of his prints and several other photographers. If you’ve ever wanted to understand an immaculate balance between color, calm, eerie, and beauty, you’ll fall in love with this book. I truly can’t wait to return and check out the other books. I currently live in Queens, and I barely ever have solid reasons to want to go to Manhattan. But this is one for sure. ‘
As I write this article, I realize now one of the reasons why I’m so incredibly excited about this store. When I first started Phoblographer, the Lomography company had two stores in NYC. Then it was a single one. Eventually, they moved to Brooklyn. The Leica store feels like a grown-up, mature, and intellectual version of Lomography’s space. Where Lomography embraces the chaotic, beautiful energy of your 20s, Leica stands comfortable in its own skin while welcoming everyone. I’d even pay money for the store to develop and scan my film, too. Considering they have the M6 2022, it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea.
I’m truly very glad that there are so many places emphasizing the printed photograph and photography as art. Trust me, you’re going to want to visit this place.