‘Spider Martin’s Unseen Sixties’ exhibit opens July 13 at Visual Arts Gallery

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Never-before-seen fashion photos by late photographer Spider Martin will be on exhibit July 13-Aug. 17 in the UAB Visual Arts Gallery, 900 13th St. South. The show opens with a reception featuring ‘60s music, Friday, July 13 from 5-7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

 
 
 
The fashion of the 1960s included headbands, long earrings and afros — and late Birmingham photographer Spider Martin was there to capture it all on film. Martin’s never-before-seen fashion photos will be on exhibit July 13 through Aug. 17 in the UAB Visual Arts Gallery at 900 13th St. South. The exhibition is curated by Mindi Shapiro and gallery Director Brett Levine, who worked with Martin’s daughter, Tracy Martin, to select images that are humorous and entirely representative of their times.

“Spider Martin’s Unseen Sixties” features fashion photographs taken between 1965 and 1973. Martin, a Birmingham photographer best known for his iconic images of the Civil Rights movement, worked continuously as a commercial photographer with clients as diverse as McCall’s, Women’s Wear Daily and even Playboy.

“For the anniversary of the ‘Summer of Love,’ it seemed timely to highlight works by such a significant photographer,” gallery Director Brett Levine said.

“Most people don’t know that Spider Martin traveled widely and worked for some of the most significant fashion and culture magazines for many years.”

The exhibition is curated by Mindi Shapiro and Levine, who worked with the photographer’s daughter Tracy Martin to select images that are humorous and entirely representative of their times. The images are printed from his original Kodachrome transparencies.

“This is a unique opportunity for Birmingham,” Levine said. “Following an incredible exhibition of his works at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, we’re very pleased to be able to show another side of Spider Martin, and one that, for many people, will be entirely unexpected.”

Summer gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. The gallery is closed Saturday, Sunday and public holidays throughout the summer.