Chelsea Hotel Through the Eyes of Photographers Exhibit Hotel Chelsea 222 West 23rd Street, Between 7th and 8th Avenues Opened May 9, 2008 Exhibit Ran May 9-11, 2008 Written by Wendy R. Williams Utilizing Linda Troeller's Text Opposite Wall: A Collage of Photos of Honoree Stanley Bard Photo Credit Linda Troeller

Stanley Bard, Michele Bard, Stanley Bard and Phyllis Bard (Mrs. Stanley Bard)
Photo Credit Maggi Hopp

Chelsea Hotel Through the Eyes of Photographers Exhibit was held the weekend of May 9-11, 2008. The exhibit was curated by Linda Troeller and co-curated by David Elder. The exhibit was in honor of the 125th Anniversary of the opening of the Hotel. On Satuday, May 10, 2008, the artists presented a plaque to former hotel manager, Stanley Bard, in honor of his dedication to the arts.

The Hotel Chelsea, a legendary bastion of creativity, has often stood in the eye of New York City's cultural storm. The ghosts from the Hotel's earlier days saw Arthur Miller hide away in a back apartment to write following his divorce from Marilyn Monroe; Janis Joplin “talk[ing] so brave and sweet” to Leonard Cohen; and Ralph Gibson printing his photographs for his first Lustrum photography book in his tiny kitchenette.

David Elder, Linda Troeller and Abel Ferrara
Photo Credit by Derek Johnson

In the above photo is David Elder, the show co -curator, and Linda Troeller, the curator. They are standing with film director Abel Ferrara who was in a few photographs in the show and has a new film debuting in Cannes this month, Chelsea on the Rocks, a fiction and documentary about the hotel. Chelsea on the Rocks was shot last fall. Curator Linda Troeller had a part in the film and some of Linda's stills are used in the promotion of the film.

Derek Johnson and Marc Antoine Dupont
Photo Credit Linda Troeller

Derek Johnson, a Seattle-based photographer, had some images in the show. Derek assisted Linda Troeller with her photography work at the hotel for some years. With Derek is Marc Antoine Dupont who had some color images in the show.

Edward Mapplethorpe, Friend and Linda Troeller

Edward Mapplethorpe, artist and photographer, stands with a friend and Linda Troeller in front of Anton Perich's 1970's shot of Edward's brother, Robert Mapplethorpe. In the photo, Robert Mapplethorpe is standing in front of the Hotel Chelsea.

Photo Credit Linda Troeller

The show drew two thousand people over the weekend. The show was an art pick in The Village Voice, Time Out and Chelsea Now. The show was also mentioned in the New York Times Metro Section on the Sunday of the show. Photographer, Keith Green (in gray jacket), standing among the photographers and interested people. Keith shot an iconic picture of Dee Dee Ramone (keithphotog.com).

Lothar Troeller
Photo Credit Linda Troeller

In the above photo, Lothar Troeller shows his digitally stitched photograph of the Hotel Chelsea's famous gothic staircase. Below his photographs are photographs by Bettina, who was mentioned in the Sunday New York Times Metro Section. Photographer Sam Bassett (his work is not shown in the photo above) was also mentioned in the Times Article as being part of the show.

Wall of Martine Barrat's Photographs
Photo Credit Linda Troeller

Martine Barrat's photographs were taken over many years at the hotel. They show special moments in the hotel from 'Ready to Party" to "Dog Conversation,"
(dogs are popular among the residents).

Photo Credit Linda Troeller

In the foreground are Maggie Hopp's portraits of residents from 1979 and by the door is a piece by a young photographer, Carmen Montoya, a neon display of "Help" with a statement alluding to the loss of many aspect of New York City's soul

Mark Sink
Photo Credit Linda Troeller

Mark Sink lived in the hotel in the 80's and was nicknamed "Steiglitz" by hotel manager Stanley Bard because he (Sink) always ran around with a camera. Mark is looking at his shot of Rene Richard. Mark had other photos in the show including photos of Andy Warhol and Richard Bernstern.

Stanley Bard, David Remfry, Rita Barros and Phyllis Bard (Mrs. Stanley Bard)
Photo Credit Linda Troeller

In the above photograph, Stanley Bard celebrates the 125th Anniversary of the hotel with residents Rita Barros, David Remfry and Stanley's wife, Phyllis. The photographs was at an after show cocktail party for the seventy photographers, press and special guests which was held at Star Lounge, the bar below the hotel.

Rita Barros Photo Credit Linda Troeller	Rose Hartman and Marcia Resnick Photo Credit Linda Troeller

In the above photo on the left, Rita Barros, wearing a skirt by fashion designer Zac Posen, stands on a bed in Linda Troeller's hotel room number 914. Rita is standing in front of Linda Troeller’s wall mural photograph of a “Zac Posen Dress, Chelsea Hotel” from her recently published book, Hotel Chelsea Atmosphere – An Artist’s Memoir, recently on www.blurb.com. Linda hosted a gathering of photographers just before the plaque presentation to Stanley Bard in the
ballroom.

In the above right photo is Rose Hartman who exhibited a portrait of Vali Meyers, an artist who lived in the hotel in the early 90's. With here is Marcia Resnick, who shot rock and roll portraits and color and black and white portraits of Hiroya at the Chelsea Hotel

Pal Shazar
Photo Credit Linda Troeller

In the above photo, singer Pal Shazar stands in front of a wall of photographs by Linda Troeller. Linda Troeller shot the photos for her book Erotic Life of Women at the hotel (see lindatroeller.com). Pal has used Linda's photographs on her music cd's and also on her website, www.palsharzar.com.

The show featured work from over sixty photographers, shot both in and of the iconic Hotel Chelsea. The photographs in the show ranged from historic images of residents such as Virgil Thomson, Patti Smith and Dee Dee Ramone to the edgy and atmospheric.

Photographers featured included: Alana Cundy; Alex Geana; Anita Chernewski; Anton Perich; Arthur Weinstein; Bailey Ann Rosen; Barbara Alper; Barbara Nitke;
Bettina; Bjørge Sandroad; Brad Trent; Carmen Montoya; Catherine Klemann;
Catherine Leroy; Christian Rothmann; Christopher Maguire; David Gahr;
Derek Johnson; Diane Hughes; Dina Von Zweck; Dirck Halstead; Ernst Spycher;
Fern Logan; Hoyt Brown; Ira Cohen; Ivano Grasso; Jamie Robinson; Jean Pearson; Jules Siegel; Jürgen Frank; Keith Green; Lee Levine; Lisa Ackerman; Linda Troeller;
Lothar Troeller; Maggie Hopp; Majori; Marc Antoine Dupont; Marcia Resnick;
Mark Edward Harris; Mark Sink; Martine Barrat; Mary Ann Lynch; Marzia Schirripa;
Matthew Kristall; Merle Levine;Mia Hanson; Michael Lavine; Neil Polen; Nicola L.;
Nicole Wolf; Peter Badge; Peter Simon; Rachael Cohen;
Ray Block; Rebeca Senovilla Zubiaga; René De Carufel; Richard Turchett; Rita Barros; Robyn Desposito; Roger Jazilek; Rose Hartman; Sam Bassett; Sanford Kreger; Stephanie Chernikowski; Susan Olmetti; Sylvie Lancenon; Tina Paul; Tom Parsons; and Zev Green.