Elliott Erwitt: Last Laughs
Fri, May 30
|Staley-Wise Gallery
Now on view through August 2, 2025: Elliott Erwitt – Last Laughs at Staley-Wise Gallery. A witty, heartfelt tribute to a photographic icon.
Time & Location
May 30, 2025, 7:00 AM – Aug 02, 2025, 11:00 PM
Staley-Wise Gallery, 100 Crosby St #305, New York, NY 10012, USA
About the event
From May 15 to August 2, 2025, the Staley-Wise Gallery presents Elliott Erwitt: Last Laughs—a deeply human and irresistibly humorous retrospective of one of photography’s most beloved and distinctive voices.
This exhibition offers a curated selection of Erwitt’s most iconic images—clever, ironic, and tender—many of which have never been shown before. Known for his unique ability to capture the absurdity and poignancy of everyday life, Erwitt wielded his lens with subtlety and mischief, often bringing dogs, children, lovers, and the elderly into spontaneous, unforgettable moments of connection.
Born in Paris in 1928 to Russian-Jewish parents, Erwitt’s childhood took him across Europe and into the United States just before WWII. He rose from streetwise teen to a legendary member—and later president—of Magnum Photos, always carrying two cameras: one for work, the other for fun. Last Laughs, the accompanying photo book released posthumously in 2023, reflects his personal selections, underscoring the timeless charm of…