ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Bruce Silverstein Gallery presents Frank Paulin's first color photo exhibition

exhibition · 2026-06-25

The Bruce Silverstein Gallery is showcasing "Frank Paulin: Unseen Color, 1956 - 2008," marking its fourth exhibition of Frank Paulin's (1926–2016) work and the first to focus solely on his color photography. This display includes twenty pieces created between 1956 and 2008, highlighting a collection that largely went unnoticed during the artist's life. Beginning in the mid-1950s, Paulin shot on color film, but these images were not printed until later in his career, offering a rare chance to reevaluate the origins of early color street photography in the U.S. While Paulin is celebrated for his black-and-white street scenes of New York City, he was also crafting exceptional color images that complicate the established narrative of American color photography.

Key facts

  • Bruce Silverstein Gallery presents Frank Paulin: Unseen Color, 1956 - 2008
  • This is the gallery's fourth exhibition of Frank Paulin's work
  • First exhibition devoted exclusively to Paulin's color photographs
  • Twenty works spanning 1956 to 2008 are featured
  • The color photographs were virtually unknown during Paulin's lifetime
  • Paulin shot color film beginning in the mid-1950s
  • The photographs were not printed until late in Paulin's career
  • Paulin's black-and-white street photos were exhibited at Limelight Gallery in 1957

Entities

Artists

  • Frank Paulin

Institutions

  • Bruce Silverstein Gallery
  • Limelight Gallery
  • New York Times
  • Village Voice

Locations

  • New York City

Sources