As college students in New York City, we are incredibly fortunate to have easy access to some of the best art museums in the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. However, lesser-known galleries that are scattered across the city should not be overlooked as destinations for the art fan.
I had the chance to visit the Throckmorton Fine Art gallery in midtown Manhattan one weekend to view their “From Land to Air, a Trail of Life Experience” exhibit. The exhibit places a special focus on capturing “different latitudes and visions of Latin America,” and exclusively features women photographers from countries including Mexico, Cuba and Argentina. The gallery can be found on the third floor of an office building on 57th Street and Lexington Avenue, not far from the south entrance to Central Park. The second exhibition in this space, the “Trail of Life Experience” exhibit, is a continuation of the 2015 show “Women Pioneers,” which had a similar concept of featuring work by notable Latin American photographers of the 20th century.
When I visited the gallery, I found it to be a very enriching experience. I was greeted by very kind workers who were happy to show me around, but also leave me to observe the works for myself. The gallery is a small space, allowing for a quick trip while still seeing everything. I spent about 30 to 45 minutes there and was able to view each piece several times. Each piece was numbered, and I was given a guide with images of each work along with the photographer, date and pricing.
When I looked for more information about the photographers after my visit, I appreciated how even with how different each of their careers are, this gallery was able to bring their works together into one space. Betina Zolkower, an Argentinian photographer, had many works featured in the exhibit. She is a mathematician alongside her work as a photographer, and is known best for her photographs of New York City, where she currently lives, and Buenos Aires, her hometown. Isabel Muñoz of Spain enjoys photographing dance, and works were chosen for the Throckmorton exhibit from two of her series on Latin American dance. Margo Davis was born in the United States, but much of her career has consisted of traveling throughout Latin America to capture “the essence of the people.” I felt as though the exhibition showed examples of many different photographic subjects, which enhances the appeal of the exhibition to more people as a whole.
Overall, I really enjoyed the artworks displayed in this small space, which included many photographs as part of the exhibit, alongside some sculptures hidden away in corners. One piece that especially stood out to me was a Laura Gilpin photograph of Chichén Itzá, an instantly recognizable site in Mexico. The photograph was very small and situated on a white backdrop, making it critical for the viewer to lean in and observe finer details about the structure rather than just glancing at it. Another aspect of the gallery I enjoyed was a Zolkower photograph titled “Social Distance” from 2018, which depicts two dark figures in the windows on different floors of a building. I got an ominous feeling from the title, knowing that social distancing would become such a widespread term only a couple of years later with the spread of COVID-19. Finally, a top choice for my favorite part of the exhibit was a table with photos of Frida Kahlo, which when turned around revealed a Kahlo work on the back. Visitors cannot photograph this part of the exhibit, but I really enjoyed the homage to Kahlo’s career.
Unfortunately, this exhibit closes Oct. 7, but I am so thankful I got the chance to visit this gallery and hope they open up a new exhibit in the near future. The visit served as a reminder not to forget smaller art galleries as gems across the city for a quick dose of art.
