Larry Fink, an acclaimed American photographer known for his striking work depicting various aspects of society, died at the age of 82.
Fink died on November 25, 2023, at his Martins Creek, Pennsylvania home. Robert Mann, owner of the Robert Mann Gallery and a close friend of Fink, confirmed his passing. While the specific cause of death was not disclosed, Mann noted that Fink had been in failing health prior to his death.
Born into a politically active family, Fink was raised with a mix of communist ideals and bourgeois comforts. His mother, a committed communist and organizer, and his father, a patient man with a passion for collecting stamps, provided Fink with a childhood that balanced political activism with leisure and luxury. This duality profoundly influenced his perspective and work as a photographer.
Fink’s early interest in photography began at the age of 13 and later flourished under the mentorship of Lisette Model, a noted photographer.
Fink’s professional journey was not just about capturing images but was deeply intertwined with his political beliefs and aspirations.
In the early 1960s, he moved to New York City’s Greenwich Village, initially aiming to contribute to a societal revolution through his photography. Despite this goal, Fink eventually found his calling in a photography career that spanned diverse subjects and themes.
One of Fink’s most notable works is “Social Graces,” a 1979 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. This series juxtaposed black and white photos of wealthy New Yorkers against the everyday life of families in Martins Creek, where Fink had made his home since the 1970s. Published in book form in 1984, “Social Graces” brought Fink critical acclaim and solidified his reputation in the world of photography.
Fink’s work was renowned for its exploration of social classes, capturing both the lives of the working class and the elite of show business and Manhattan society. He also worked for publications like The New York Times and Vanity Fair, photographing celebrities such as Meryl Streep, Natalie Portman, and Kate Winslet. His unique approach to photography, often incorporating elements of political satire, set him apart in the field.
Fink had solo exhibitions at prestigious institutions throughout his career, including the Whitney Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He was honored with numerous accolades, such as two John Simon Guggenheim Fellowships. In 2021, Fink revisited some of his most seminal works in an exhibition titled “Larry Fink: Retrospective at Galerie Bene Taschen” in Cologne, Germany.
Beyond his celebrated professional achievements, Fink’s personal life was equally rich and varied. He was married twice, first to painter Joan Snyder, with whom he had a daughter, Molly, and later to artist Martha Posner.