Lee Friedlander's Mannequin Photographs Published by Fraenkel Gallery

Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco published Lee Friedlander's photography book Mannequin in May 2012, featuring 103 black-and-white images. The veteran photographer captured female mannequins in storefront windows primarily during 2010 and 2011, with New York City as the main location alongside Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Each photograph is titled by location and date, documenting reflections of urban streetscapes invading the display spaces. Friedlander's vertical compositions show mannequins in fashionable attire juxtaposed with trashcans, moving vans, and city skylines. The 112-page volume presents two duotones per spread with minimal borders, creating a relentless visual pace. At age 78, Friedlander continues his prolific book-making practice, treating mannequins like exotic creatures in chaotic urban environments. The photographs reveal complex layers where cast-iron facades merge with mannequin legs and the photographer's own reflection occasionally appears. While containing elements of consumer culture critique, the work maintains an ebullient tone through its procedural transparency and visual density.