Leonard Freed Explained

Leonard Freed (October 23, 1929 – November 29, 2006) was an American documentary photojournalist and longtime Magnum Photos member.^{[1] [2]}

Career

Freed had wanted to be a painter, but began taking photographs in the Netherlands and discovered a new passion. He traveled in Europe and Africa before returning to the United States where he attended The New School and studied with Alexey Brodovitch, the art director of Harper's Bazaar. In 1958 he moved to Amsterdam to photograph its Jewish community. Through the 1960s he continued to work as a freelance photojournalist, traveling widely. He documented the Civil Rights Movement in America (1964–1965), the Yom Kippur War in 1973, and the New York City police department (1972–1979).^[3] His career blossomed during the American civil rights movement, This journey gave him the opportunity to produce the book Black in White America (1968), which brought considerable attention. His work on New York City law enforcement also led to a book, Police Work (1980).^[4]

Early in Freed's career, Edward Steichen purchased three photographs from him for the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.^{[3] [5]} In 1967, Cornell Capa selected Freed as one of five photographers to participate in his Concerned Photography exhibition. Freed joined Magnum Photos in 1972. Publications to which he contributed over the years included Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, Fortune, Libération, Life, Look, Paris-Match, Stern, and The Sunday Times Magazine of London.

In later years, Freed continued photographing in Italy, Turkey, Germany, Lebanon and the U.S. He also shot four films for Japanese, Dutch and Belgian television.

Personal life

Freed was born October 23, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish, working-class parents of Eastern European descent. In 1956 he met Brigitte Klück, who became his wife, while on assignment for Look in Rome.^[6] They had a daughter, Elke Susannah. Freed died in Garrison upstate New York of prostate cancer on November 29, 2006.

Publications

• Joden van Amsterdam, Netherlands: De Bezige Bij, 1958.
• Deutsche Juden Heute, Germany: Rütten u. Loening, 1965.
• Black in White America, United States: Grossman Publishers, 1967. California: Getty Museum, 2010;
• Seltsame Spiele, Germany: Bärmeier u. Nikel, 1970.
• Leonard Freed’s Germany, London: Thames and Hudson, 1971.
• Made in Germany, USA: Grossman, 1970. Penguin, 1971.
• Berlin, New York City: Time-Life, 1977.
• Police Work, USA: Simon and Schuster, 1980; . Holiday House, 1981;
• La Danse des Fidèles, France: Chêne, 1984.
• New York Police France: (Photo Notes), Centre national de la photographie, 1990.
• Leonard Freed: Photographs 1954-1990, UK: Cornerhouse/Nathan, 1991. New York City: W. W. Norton, 1992.
• Amsterdam: The Sixties, USA: Focus Publishing, 1997. Netherlands: Uitgeverij Focus, 1997.
• Another Life, Netherlands: ABP Public Affairs, 2004.
• Leonard Freed: Worldview with William Ewing, Wim van Sinderen, Nathalie Herschdorfer. Lausanne: Musée de l'Élysée, 2007.
• Indonesiers in Holland, Netherlands: d'Jonge hond, 2009. Note: This publication is misnamed as the people being photographed are actually Indo people, not "Indonesiers" (English: Indonesians)
• This Is the Day: The March on Washington, Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2013;

Films

• Joey Goes to Wigstock (1993) – color, 10'

Awards

• New York State Grant for the Arts, 1978^[7]
• National Endowment for the Arts, 1980^[7]

Collections

Important segments of Freed's work are available to the public in the following collections:

• Museum of Modern Art, New York City: 9 prints
• Davidson Art Center, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT

Further reading

• News: Rosner . Stu . Arresting images: Leonard Freed on 'Police Work' . 13 June 2024 . The Boston Phoenix . 10 November 1981.

External links

• Freed's profile at Magnum Photos

Notes and References

1. Amanda Hopkinson, "Leonard Freed", The Guardian, 6 December 2006. Accessed 2 February 2018.
2. Book: Engaged Observers: Documentary Photography Since the Sixties. Brett. Abbott. J. Paul Getty. Museum. 23 January 2019. Getty Publications. 9781606060223. Google Books.
3. Web site: Magnum Photos Home. pro.magnumphotos.com.
4. Dias . Elizabeth . Behind New York City's 'Police Work' . Time . January 22, 2012 . en-us.
5. Web site: Leonard Freed - MoMA. The Museum of Modern Art.
6. News: Leonard Freed, Photojournalist of Injustice, Is Dead at 77. Philip. Gefter. The New York Times. 4 December 2006.
7. Web site: Feldschuch Gallery - Leonard Freed. www.artnet.com.