“When you go out on a story, you don’t go back for another sitting. You gotta get it.” Arthur Fellig (1899-1968), better-known as Weegee, had a police radio scanner installed in the front of his 1938 Chevrolet. He had exclusive access to crime scenes, arrests and accidents, often capturing them before the incident was even resolved. This was a man who was unafraid to get into the thick of the action. The press photographer’s images are everything a modern viewer may imagine of the fast-paced reality of mid-20th century New York City. Yet, later works focused on the pomp and pageant of the flourishing film industry in California. One thing is in no doubt: Weegee left an indelible mark upon the world of US street photography. Now, the International Center of Photography kicks off its winter season with Society of the Spectacle, presented in partnership with Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson. The show celebrates Weegee’s bold, boundary-pushing perspective. The most exciting part of the show is undoubtedly its ambitious reconciliation of crime scenes with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. It perfectly captures the duality of Weegee, who was a complex and visionary creative.
The start of Weegee’s career involved little concern for the art world: he produced press images for the Herald-Tribune, Daily News and Post. Weegee was a photojournalist in a period that saw the end of the Depression; the repeal of the Prohibition laws which banned the sale of alcohol; a governmental crackdown on organised crime; and, later, the beginning of WWII. The result is a body of images that documents the real-world consequences of major political shifts. In one shot, police lead a group of men out of a building after a gambling raid in lower Manhattan’s Liberty Street. Elsewhere, On the Stop shows a murder victim laid out on the pavement as three police officers look on. Weegee’s notoriety for salacious tabloid photographs was unparalleled. The first two sections of Society of the Spectacle showcase some of the most well-known from this period. “The Spectacle of the News” focuses on his nighttime photos, where onlookers are as important as the events themselves, whilst “The Society of Spectators” shows Weegee’s lens turned towards the people on the fringes of the main action. The message: spectatorship is part of the spectacle.
In 1947, Weegee moved from the East Coast to Hollywood, shifting focus from the seedy underbelly of society to the allure of celebrity. Long regarded as two distinct periods in his career, the works in Weegee: Society of the Spectacle challenge this division by underscoring how Weegee’s exploration of spectacle persisted across different contexts – from police raids to red carpets. A feeling of distaste radiates from his Hollywood images. A prime example is the distorted portrait of Marilyn Monroe, her face turned into a caricature. The lens is often turned on paparazzi; their clamour to capture premieres and celebrity scoops was more interesting to the artist than the people they were trying to snap. Clément Chéroux, Director at Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson, stated: “Weegee’s works highlight his ability to capture life’s extremes, from high society to the underworld … His later shift to Hollywood did not distance him from this focus on spectacle but rather amplified his satirical approach, as he created playful distortions of celebrities that critiqued the American obsession with fame.”
Society of the Spectacle is the sixth major presentation of Weegee’s work at ICP, and the first since it relocated to Manhattan’s Lower East Side neighbourhood – the very place Weegee transformed into an urban stage in his photographs. The artist’s commentary on the blurred lines between reality and performance feels newly relevant today, especially in the age of smartphones and viral media. Today, every individual has become both a voyeur and a consumer of spectacle. The show is a testament to the enduring relevance of Weegee, and is essential viewing this winter.
Weegee: Society of the Spectacle is at International Center of Photography until 5 May 2025: icp.org
Words: Emma Jacob
Image Credits:
Weegee, Photographers at Premiere, ca. 1951, International Center of Photography.Bequest ofWilma Wilcox, 1993 (18802.1993)© International Center of Photography/Getty Images.
Weegee, Weegee, ca. 1958, International Center of Photography.Bequest of Wilma Wilcox, 1993 (22394.1993)© International Center of Photography/GettyImages.
Weegee, [Anthony Esposito, booked on suspicion of killing a policeman, New York], January 16, 1941, International Center of Photography. Purchase, with funds provided by the Lois and Bruce Zenkel Purchase Fund, 1982 (172.1982)© International Center of Photography/Getty Images.
Weegee, [Man arrested for cross-dressing, New York], ca.1939, International Center ofPhotography.Purchase, with funds provided by Lois and Bruce Zenkel Purchase Fund, 1982 (116.1982) © International Center of Photography/Getty Images.
