Central Park

Bruce Davidson's photographs of central Park reveal a humane, democratic haven of breathtaking beauty and ecological secrets, as well as a site for wondrous adventures. Renowned as an intrepid explorer of the urban terrain, and a chronicler of the civil rights movement, Bruce Davidson has challenged himself in a remarkable new way, taking on the visual and metaphorical scope of Central Park. Always compassionate, often idiosyncratic, this work reveals a sublime, transcendent vision. Davidson seems as comfortable with a wedding, landscape, or a skater as he does with the park's more permanent residents - a newborn bird or a homeless man seeking refuge on a cold winter's night. Here, Davidson discovers a host of characters - and mysteries - that reflect the vibrant and complex city of which the park is the heart and soul. Here, the photographer's evocative rendering of Central Park becomes a metaphor for the largest human experience.