A first glance at these photographs shot by Aaron Rose in his early 20s, might suggest a satirical collage operation – a sort of a mise-en-scene of slightly repulsive and unbearably raw parts of humanity. Yet, these are documentary, rather than staged, photographs, taken by Rose in the 1960s in an attempt to capture Coney Island’s anatomy. Seizing upon technological development, Rose used chromogenic colour film and increased the grain and speed of the film to secretly capture his subjects. An anthropological inquiry into Coney Island’s melting pot, these images are more striking and unusual than any freak show imagery could have been. Fifty years after they were realized, Rose’s Coney Island photographs are shown to the public for the very first time at the Museum of the City of New York. Running until August 3rd 2014, “In a World of Their Own: Coney Island Photographs by Aaron Rose, 1961-1963” captures the essence of universally painful summer life in the city.
Aaron Rose – Images courtesy of the Museum of the City of New York
