Jerry Schatzberg at MoMA

This comprehensive retrospective celebrates Jerry Schatzberg, the photographer-turned-filmmaker whose work captured the raw edges of American life in the 1970s and beyond. From his iconic cover photo for Bob Dylan’s album Blonde on Blonde to his groundbreaking directorial debut Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1970), Schatzberg brought the intimate eye of a fashion photographer and portraitist to the gritty landscapes of New American Cinema. This series showcases Schatzberg’s revelatory collaboration with Al Pacino in The Panic in Needle Park (1971) and their Cannes-winning Scarecrow (1973), alongside rarely screened gems like Street Smart (1987), which launched Morgan Freeman’s career. Moving between the worlds of high fashion and street-level realism, Schatzberg’s films reveal a distinctive talent for drawing vulnerable, nuanced performances from stars like Faye Dunaway, Gene Hackman, and Meryl Streep.

Organized by Dave Kehr, Curator, and Francisco Valente, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Film. Thanks to Gabriella Goldberg and Juliana Mendelsohn, Jerry Schatzberg Archive.