Melvin SokolskyChristy Turlington, San Francisco
About the Item
- Creator:Melvin Sokolsky (1933, American)
- Dimensions:Height: 20 in (50.8 cm)Width: 24 in (60.96 cm)
- Medium:
- Period:
- Framing:Framing Options Available
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Santa Monica, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU149749152
Melvin Sokolsky
Through his lens, Melvin Sokolsky built a world of surreal mystery. His most iconic series, depicting a woman in a plexiglass bubble, remains one of the most recognizable works of fine art photography today.
Born in New York City in 1933, he had no formal photography training. Instead, he learned by experimenting with his father’s box camera and analyzing photographs his father had developed.
At 21, he joined the staff at Harper's Bazaar. Soon after, Sokolsky landed projects for many other notable magazines, including Esquire and McCall’s. He went on to teach at the School of Visual Arts.
In 1969, Sokolsky became a television commercial director. He won several Clio Awards, as well as numerous other major commercial awards. Many of his commercials are in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collections. Sokolsky developed a computerized zoom lens, which he presented at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1972; he went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for the technology.
Across his career, Sokolsky photographed or directed a number of celebrities, including American actors Ben Affleck and Dustin Hoffman, as well as American singing and acting legend Barbara Streisand.
Sokolsky received an abundance of recognition for his work, including being named an Explorer of Light by the Canon camera company in 1995. He received the first annual Lucie Award for outstanding achievement in fashion photography in 2003, and the Louvre in Paris held a celebration for his work that same year.
Sokolsky exhibited at many world-class galleries, including at Staley-Wise in New York in 1997, Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles 2008 and Galerie Acte 2 in Paris in 2010 and 2011.
Towards the end of his life, Sokolsky worked for Canon, lecturing internationally and serving as one of its global company ambassadors. He died in 2022. His body of work spanning several decades is in numerous prestigious collections, including the Getty in Los Angeles and Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
On 1stDibs, enter the wondrous world of Melvin Sokolsky’s photography.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Santa Monica, CA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 30 days of delivery.
- Frank Sinatra at a Capital Records Recording Session in Los AngelesBy Sid AveryLocated in Santa Monica, CAThough he captured many of golden-age Hollywood’s greatest stars as the public had never seen them before—Marlon Brando taking out the trash, Elizabeth Taylor sunbathing, Anthony Per...Category
1950s Color Photography
MaterialsSilver Gelatin
- AgaveBy Ernesto EsquerLocated in Santa Monica, CASigned, titled, dated, numbered on verso.Category
2010s Black and White Photography
MaterialsSilver Gelatin
- Plane OverheadBy Ernesto EsquerLocated in Santa Monica, CASigned and numbered in pencil on verso.Category
2010s Color Photography
MaterialsSilver Gelatin
- Lily Flower and PadsBy Ernesto EsquerLocated in Santa Monica, CASigned, titled, dated, numbered on verso.Category
2010s Black and White Photography
MaterialsSilver Gelatin
- Moon and TreeBy Ernesto EsquerLocated in Santa Monica, CASigned, titled, dated, numbered on verso.Category
2010s Color Photography
MaterialsSilver Gelatin
- RoseBy Ernesto EsquerLocated in Santa Monica, CASigned, titled, dated, numbered on verso.Category
2010s Black and White Photography
MaterialsSilver Gelatin
- Phone BankBy Ted AdamsLocated in Hudson, NYListing is for UNFRAMED print. Inquire within for framing. Edition of 25. If the exhibition piece is sold or the customer orders a different print size, the photograph is produced upon purchase. Please allow two weeks for production. Shipping time depends on method of shipping. Price is subject to availability. The Robin Rice Gallery reserves the right to adjust this price depending on the current edition of the photograph. Ted Adams’ first solo show at the Robin Rice Gallery juxtaposes surrealism with the documentary art form. What differentiates Mr. Adams’ work from traditional photojournalism is his keen eye for capturing the irony in the events that unfold before our eyes. It is the found objects in everyday life to which Adams is most attuned. He creates a subtle mood and visual mystery that conveys meaning not only from the image itself but also through imagining what exists just beyond the frame. "I see photography as a way of cropping the world—selectively taking things out of context—which often results in stripping the meaning out of the original subject matter, or at least making the image open to interpretation. It’s the opposite of traditional photojournalism whose intention is to create ‘narrative’ and context rather than discard them." While he has exhibited artistic photography in a variety of genres, in the past five years he turned his artistic eye inward to reflect a more autobiographical tone. While some people compare his work to that of Robert Frank, Adams finds himself more and more influenced by Larry Clark whose career was built on pictures drawn from his own life and drug-addled friends rather than a specific documentary mission. The unique presentation of this collection of twenty-three silver gelatin prints enhances the voyeuristic sensibility of Mr. Adams’ work. Each photograph is jewel box in size, measuring 4" x 6" to invite the viewer in to make an intimate appraisal. The craftsmanship of the wide, dark wood frames hearkens back to late 19th-century Shaker design—yet the aesthetic is boldly contemporary, providing a strong backdrop to draw the viewer’s gaze directly to the subject matter. This artisanship extends to the printing where Adams exhibits his skills in traditional darkroom processes. He shoots mostly with Leica and Nikon 35mm film cameras...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Color Photography
MaterialsSilver Gelatin
- Hive, Santa Fe, NM, 2005By Robert StiversLocated in Hudson, NYEach year, Robin Rice celebrates a Salon style exhibition to showcase her gallery artists and invite new ones. With Robin’s extensive experience as a gallery curator, all Robin Rice Gallery...Category
Early 2000s Modern Color Photography
MaterialsSilver Gelatin
- Black Handbag, Goodwood, Chichester - Feminine fashion, color photographyBy Richard HeepsLocated in Cambridge, GBThis stylish artwork, 'Black Handbag' taken at the glamorous retro event Goodwood Revival, perfectly captures feminine sophistication with a vintage vibe. This artwork featured in Ri...Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
MaterialsC Print, Photographic Paper, Color, Silver Gelatin
- Dream in Color Series, The End, Bisbee, Arizona - American Color PhotographyBy Richard HeepsLocated in Cambridge, GBRichard Heeps' Dream in Colour Series beautifully captures 1950's chic, the nostalgic vibe and warm colours paired with a movie still of the end, make it incredibly seductive. This ...Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
MaterialsC Print, Photographic Paper, Color, Silver Gelatin
- Pink Floral Dress, Goodwood, Chichester - Feminine fashion, color photographyBy Richard HeepsLocated in Cambridge, GBThis stylish artwork, 'Pink Floral Dress' taken at the glamorous retro event Goodwood Revival, perfectly captures feminine sophistication with a vintage vibe. This artwork featured i...Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
MaterialsC Print, Silver Gelatin, Color, Photographic Paper
- Dream in Color Series, The Misfits, Bisbee, Arizona - American Color PhotographyBy Richard HeepsLocated in Cambridge, GBRichard Heeps' Dream in Colour Series beautifully captures 1950's chic, the nostalgic vibe and warm colours paired with an iconic Clarke Gable movie still make it incredibly seductiv...Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Photography
MaterialsC Print, Photographic Paper, Color, Silver Gelatin
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Inside the Bubble of Melvin Sokolsky
In the early 1960s, the photographer captured elegant models soaring through the air and floating in bubbles over Paris and New York. Now, we reveal the secrets behind his magical compositions.
Some of the Best Beatles Photos Were Taken by Paul McCartney
A trove of recently unearthed personal photos adds another dimension to the abundance of press images of the Fab Four.