Black Hippie Girl, Bethesda Fountain

In 1969, Bethesda Fountain on weekends was a gathering place for the radical and hip people of the time. Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin were regulars speakers there. Portrait of a fascinatingly attractive Hippy Girl is a quintessential image that sums up the joyful era of peace and love. It looks as if it were a setup photo akin to an advertising shoot where there is a willful collaboration between artist and model. In fact, it's just a magical moment grab shot where a girl glances into a photographer's lens. That instant is captured and the result is mesmerizing. Although the image was taken 56 years ago, it looks very contemporary. In 1970, photography was just marginally considered to be art. Color Photography was not even part of the art conversation. Participating in the first Color Photography show at a major museum was trailblazing and historically important and makes this photograph important. Additionally, the show was assembled by a historically important black curator.
Signed and dated lower right Edition 3/15 Unframed. Printed later. Other sizes are available.
Exhibited: Images en Couleur, Brooklyn Museum, 1970. ( This was one of the first major museum exhibition of color photography, Curated by Henri Ghent one of the first Black Museum Curators ) Published: Popular Photography, Vivid Vision of Mitchell Funk, December 1970
Mitchell Funk is a pioneer of " Color Photography". In 1970 he participated in one the first " Color Photography" shows at a major museum. Brooklyn Museum, show "Images en Couleur" . 1971 Included he was included in the visionary book "Frontiers of Photography" Time Life, Color ! American Photography Transformed. Amon Carter Museum . He has had more than 50 Photography Magazine Covers and has had covers on Newsweek and Life Magazine, Fortune etc.