The National Arts Club presents an opening reception for the exhibition George Platt Lynes: Selections from the Frederick R. Koch Collection.

George Platt Lynes (1907-1955) was a self-taught American photographer active from the 1920s to the 1950s. He began his career photographing cultural luminaries such as Gertrude Stein, Yul Brenner, Katherine Hepburn, and members of the New York City Ballet, newly formed by his close friend George Balanchine. It is for those portraits, along with extravagant fashion work for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar that he is best remembered today. However, Lynes’ true passion and most ground-breaking work lay in more intimate, often nude portraits of his friends, many of whom were artists and celebrities including Jean Cocteau, Paul Cadmus, and George himself. At the time of their creation, these works were too controversial to exhibit, let alone publish or sell. Thus, what Lynes considered his most important work remained largely unseen. Works in this exhibition are provided by the Frederick R. Koch Collection and have not been exhibited since Mr. Koch purchased the Lynes residual estate from Bernard Perlin, the American painter who was executor of the estate.

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The National Arts Club presents author and photographer Mary Beth Meehan who will share stories about the making of Seeing Silicon Valley, a photo book that explores the unseen parts of the Valley that often get overlooked in our embrace of the glitz and technological accomplishment the valley is most known for. Read about the project in The New York Times here.

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“Suzanne Stein is a dedicated social realist who finds beauty in unusual and often uncomfortable spaces. Her narrative style is characterized by an intense drive to discover and reflect our most human experiences, confronting us with worlds we often do not see or wish to see.” In-Person Event

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“While working as a freelance photographer in 1977, Bill Bernstein was sent to Studio 54 to shoot a black-tie dinner for President Carter’s mother, Lillian. The buzz about what usually happened inside the club compelled Bernstein to stick around after his assignment; the rest is disco history.

This conversation explores how club culture today continues to be inspired by dancefloors of the past. Book signing to follow.”

In-person event. More Information / Register to Attend [here]