If you were one of the many New Yorkers touched by Iwan Baan’s haunting, half-dark image of post-Sandy Manhattan, the Museum of Modern Art is now offering you a chance to own a copy of your very own. The emotion-stirring image first graced the cover of New York Magazine in November, and quickly became a viral pic. Now Baan and MoMA are selling a poster of the SoPo photo to raise funds for Hurricane Sandy relief through the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City.
Iwan Baan is one of the most famous architectural photographers of our time and his work is seen regularly on our site. Normally, his artistry is seen as an expression of lines, curves, textures and a fantastic understanding of lighting and architecture. But in November after Hurricane Sandy hit, he was compelled to photograph the city as a whole in the wake of the disaster. After a lot of effort spent hiring a helicopter and pilot, Baan was able to capture this incredible image of a city divided. The scene captures the moment perfectly – the upper portion of Manhattan has power, while the lower portion sits in darkness.
Now MoMA and Baan are offering the image up through MoMA’s design store as a poster called Iwan Baan: The City and The Storm for $20. Proceeds from the sale of this poster will benefit the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City in support of Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Baan is also now officially represented through the Perry Rubenstein Gallery in Los Angeles, where his work will be on display in an exhibition there in February. The gallery is currently selling ten copies of Baan’s photograph for $100,000 each, and all profits will be donated to the Mayor’s Fund.
Images ©Iwan Baan Courtesy of MoMA and New York Magazine
