MALE EDITION: The Art of Men’s Style

The Fahey/Klein Gallery is pleased to present, Male Edition: The Art of Men’s Style. The photographs on display take the viewer through the varying ways personal style has been utilized in the expression of self-identity, with images spanning from the early 20th Century through the 21st Century.  This group exhibition features (33) photographers with works celebrating male cultural icons, periods in history emblematic of men’s clothing, and figures with lasting influence on style today. Male Edition: The Art of Men’s Style will showcase genres and identities in culture through music, cinema, and the visual arts.

“A man must be a profound calculator to be a consummate dresser… there is no diplomacy more subtle than dress…”

- Edward Bulwer-Lytton (English novelist) excerpt from the novel “Pelham”.

Male Edition: The Art of Men’s Style celebrates and documents the evolution of men’s style through iconic works by some of photography’s most notable artists, and the clothing that has defined the male esthetic - reveling in images of rakish style, eccentrics, and the flamboyance of self-expression. These photographs emphasize that clothes and adornments are the reflection of the individual who dons them and makes them their own.

The early 20th Century is synonymous with the rise of the “modern man”. Icons like Jazz musician, Dexter Gordon, who effortlessly combined dapper fashion with musical prowess, embodied the spirit of the time – as illustrated in Herman Leonard’s portrait. Moving forward, the rebellious spirit of the 1950’s gave way to the greaser subculture. Figures like James Dean, photographed by Phil Stern, with his relaxed posture and confident gaze became a symbol of rebellion and effortless cool. The 1960’s witnessed a revolution in numerous ways, propelled by music and cultural reckonings. Steve Schapiro’s photograph of “Hippie with ‘Love’ Hat, Haight Ashbury, San Francisco” is a glimpse into the explosive evolution in style that gave way to playful experimentation. Meanwhile, the punk movement of the 1970’s and 1980’s injected a fierce and rebellious energy into the collective zeitgeist. The likes of Billy Idol, captured by Janette Beckman, with his leather jacket adorned with pins and spikes, became a symbol of nonconformity and individuality. Fast-forward to the present day, we find common touch stones of style borrowed and repurposed to embrace and define unique idiosyncrasies – regardless of gender identity.