JAMES AND KARLA MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHY

Talk shop with shop owners Sal Dipalo of Dipalo Latteria and Frank Ottomanelli of Ottomanelli Prime Meats. Also Greg Deliso will be discussing his short film STORE FRONT: New York. Clic Gallery Tuesday September 22nd 6:30 - 8PM. 255 Centre Street @ Broome. Also Greg Deliso will be discussing his short film STORE FRONT: New York.

Also: JAY DEE Bakery R.I.P.:

Next Door, New York by Mark Lamster (PRINT October 2009)

Thanks ROYCE BANNON for making this happen!

Click on the pic for readable size

http://timconnor.blogspot.com/

Thursday, September 10, 2009
Jim & Karla Murray’s “Store Front…” show extended at Clic Gallery
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“Vesuvio’s Bakery,” James & Karla Murray, All rights reserved

Jim & Karla Murray’s “Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York” show has been extended to September 27th at Clic Gallery at 255 Centre Street in Manhattan. I love the careful, almost formal treatment the Murray’s give to these colorful neighborhood outposts — crisp, straightforward, squared-up, unfussy. The light is chosen & handled for maximum information. Each store front is just what it is. But take a good look! What they are is pretty wonderful…

The Murray’s approach is plainly in the tradition of Eugene Atget and Walker Evans, two photographers also moved by the half-improvisatory accretion of visual elements that go into the street face of these “mom & pop” businesses. Evans especially was fascinated by signage & the arrangement of goods to be perused; he called it “the pitch direct” & photographed it throughout his career. (I wrote about Atget, Evans & signage here).

The Murrays add glorious color to this venerable lineage. They also make a point of adding social & political concerns. These are not just photographs. “The stores have the city’s history etched in their facades. They tirelessly serve their community, sustaining a neighborhood’s diverse nature and ethnic background, in a city with an unmercifully fast pace and seemingly insatiable need for change. Each is as unique as the customers they serve and have at their heart, owners who share a commitment to provide a unique service and in turn cement a neighborhood’s foundation” they write. And, in fact, many of the store fronts the Murrays photographed are already gone, replaced by chains stores bearing the same logo, color scheme & promotional advertising as every other clone of their worldwide corporate brand.

http://www.gvshp.org/_gvshp/about/index.htmThanks also to Peter Longo of Porto Rico Coffee, and Matt Umanov of Matt Umanov Guitars. Also much thanks to Film maker Greg Deliso for his film and being a part of the panel.

L to R:  Matt Umanov, Peter Longo and Greg Deliso

Watch STORE FRONT: New York by Greg Deliso:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFOHHhf8TN8

Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York
An Illustrated Talk and Panel Discussion with James and Karla Murray
Wednesday, September 9
6:30 - 8:00 p.m. (Doors open at 6:15 p.m.)
Judson Memorial Assembly Hall
239 Thompson Street off of Washington Square South
Free; reservations required
RSVP to rsvp@gvshp.org or (212) 475-9585 ext. 35

Stop by and hear store owners talk shop. A panel discussion with local store owners from Greenwich Village, including the Ottomanelli Brothers of Ottomanelli & Sons Prime Meat Market, Peter Longo of Porto Rico Coffee, and Matt Umanov of Matt Umanov Guitars.

K