BY KAREN BOSSICK
Once upon a time, Melvin Sokolsky suspended models floating in giant clear plastic bubbles above the River Seine in Paris.
A contemporary of Richard Avedon and Irving Pennh, Sokolsky became internationally known for his iconic, playful and innovative photographs taken for “Harper’s Bazaar” in 1963 and 1965. This spring his “Bubble” series was even projected onto the Empire State building in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the magazine.
Now, Sokolsky will discuss his work, including what was involved in suspending models above the City of Lights, during a free presentation at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 6, at Gilman Contemporary at 661 Sun Valley Road in Ketchum.
He will also be in attendance for the opening of his exhibition, “Imagination in Flight,” from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 7, during the Sun Valley Gallery Association’s July Gallery Walk.
Sokolsky’s photographs have been in prestigious museums and collections around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Getty.
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Gilman Contemporary is also exhibiting Michael Massaia’s “Deep in a Dream, Central Park” series. The series is shot at the edge of dawn when the park is deserted, giving the images a quietness that is rare in bustling New York City.
In addition, the gallery is showing Maria Svarbova’s “Swimming Pool.” That series focuses on Soviet-era swimming pools, evoking a playful seriousness that has become part of Svarbova’s signature photographic aesthetic.