ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Diane Arbus's Rare Park Photographs at Lévy Gorvy

exhibition · 2026-05-05

Diane Arbus, born to Russian Jewish parents in New York, became a renowned photographer known for her unique portrayal of marginalized individuals. After starting her career with her husband, Allan, serving as an army photographer during WWII, they established a commercial studio. In 1956, Arbus began focusing on personal projects in urban parks such as Central Park and Washington Square. Her exhibition, "Diane Arbus: In the Park," hosted by Lévy Gorvy from May 2 to June 24, 2017, showcased rare pieces, including "A very thin man in Central Park" from 1961, and concluded with a work from 1971, her final year.

Key facts

  • Diane Arbus was born Nemerov to Russian Jewish immigrants in New York.
  • She was introduced to photography by her husband Allan Arbus, a WWII army photographer.
  • Arbus worked commercially for Vogue and Glamour before leaving in 1956.
  • She photographed 'freaks' and marginalized people in Central Park and Washington Square Park.
  • The exhibition 'Diane Arbus: In the Park' was held at Lévy Gorvy, 909 Madison Avenue, New York.
  • The show ran from May 2 to June 24, 2017.
  • It included rare works like 'Girl in a beret in Central Park' (1958) and 'Three girls at a Puerto Rican Festival' (1962).
  • The final image was 'A young man and his girlfriend with hot dogs in the park' (1971), the year of her death.

Entities

Artists

  • Diane Arbus
  • Allan Arbus
  • Susan Sontag

Institutions

  • Lévy Gorvy
  • Vogue
  • Glamour

Locations

  • New York
  • Central Park
  • Washington Square Park
  • 909 Madison Avenue
  • New York, NY 10021

Sources