Joseph Bellows Gallery is presenting an online exhibition featuring Stephen Salmieri's captivating photographs of Coney Island, showcasing one of America's most beloved and historic seaside amusement destinations. The exhibition displays Salmieri's masterfully crafted vintage black and white prints, capturing the essence of beachgoers and amusement park regulars in the vicinity of one of the United States' oldest and most illustrious seaside amusement parks.
The photographs were taken between 1967 and 1972 using various cameras and black and white film, creating a comprehensive visual narrative of this iconic New York location. In these compelling images, carnival storefronts, arcade games, fairground architecture, and the shoreline serve as backdrops to Salmieri's descriptive and captivating portraits of everyday people enjoying this unique American cultural space.
In a published statement about the photographs, the artist explains his process and motivations behind this significant body of work. "The world of Coney Island has radically changed since I took these photographs," Salmieri reflects. "This was my first personal project, I was twenty years old, fresh out of the School of Visual Arts. To choose my subject, I naturally gravitated toward the familiar destination of my teenage bicycle adventures."
Salmieri describes his methodical approach to the project, making the hour-long journey to Coney Island with all his cameras at hand for an entire year. "I carried a 4x5 view camera, a 6x6 cm, and a 35mm format, along with lots of Tri-X film," he explained. The dedication to his craft and the variety of equipment allowed him to capture diverse perspectives and intimate moments throughout the amusement park and beach area.
The significance of this work became apparent when CAMERA magazine contacted Salmieri in 1969 during his first exhibition at the Underground Gallery. "In my naivety, I didn't realize that Coney Island was also the favored territory of personalities such as Robert Frank, Lisette Model, Leon Levinstein, and Weegee," the artist admits. "It wasn't until they published these photographs in their inaugural issue dedicated to Coney Island in 1971 that I understood I was part of a prestigious tradition."
These early images, both refined and moving, document a forgotten community that has now been lost to time. For Salmieri, this project was transformative, allowing him to forge his artistic vision at a pivotal moment in his young life. The photographs capture not just the physical space of Coney Island, but the spirit and character of the people who made it their temporary or permanent home.
Salmieri's photographs from this collection have also been featured in the exhibition "Forever Coney: Photographs from the Brooklyn Museum Collection," demonstrating the lasting impact and historical importance of his work. His artistic legacy extends far beyond this single project, with his works now part of prestigious collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, the Flint Institute in Michigan, the Museum of the City of New York, the Nelson-Atkins Museum, and the J. Paul Getty Museum.
The photographer has also contributed significantly to American visual culture through his publications, including "American Grilles" (1978, Hartcourt-Brace) and "Cadillac: An American Icon" (1985, Rizzoli). The Stephen Salmieri: Coney Island online exhibition is available through Joseph Bellows Gallery, located at 7661 Girard Avenue, La Jolla, CA 92037, with more information available at www.josephbellows.com.
