The Firefighters Museum of New York presents an exhibition showcasing the award-winning photographer’s moving collection Jill Freeman documenting New York firefighters at work in the 1970s. Firehouse: the photography of Jill Freedman.
The exhibition presents a series of images contained in Freedman’s book, Fire station, which was released in 1977 to rave reviews highlighting their honesty and courage that captured the danger, tragedy, heroism and camaraderie of being a firefighter in New York City. CNN once described the photographs as “images that portray a community of men in all their humanity, heroic but not just heroes.” Images of terrible danger meet moments of brutal tenderness, and then it all gives way to barrack-like antics.
To create this display of heroism and heart, Freedman lived among firefighters in the Bronx and Harlem for more than a year as he chronicled their work. She followed the groups for six days straight, sleeping in the back seats of cars or on the floor between engines.
Jill Freeman was a highly respected New York documentary photographer whose award-winning work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, International Center of Photography, George Eastman House, Smithsonian American Art Museum, New York Public Library. , the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the National Library, Paris, among others. She has appeared in solo and group exhibitions worldwide and has contributed to many important publications.
Jill Freedman was best known for her street and documentary photography, which recalls the work of André Kertész, W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea Lange and Cartier-Bresson. She has published seven books: Old news: City of the Resurrection; Circus Days; Fire station; street policemen; A Time That Was: Irish Moments; Jill’s dogs; et Ireland never. Jill Freedman has lived and worked on New York’s Upper West Side.
You can read more about his life and work at http://www.jillfreedman.com.
Firehouse: the photography of Jill Freedman
until April 2, 2023
The Firefighters Museum of New York
Via Primavera 278
New York, New York
https://www.nycfiremuseum.org.
