February 19 through May 15, 2011 Paton | Smith | Della Penna-Fernberger Galleries
Photographer Al Wertheimer chose to capture 21-year-old Elvis Presley on the threshold
of super stardom not because he was a fan, but because he was a student of human nature.
What is so remarkable about Wertheimer's documentary portraits of Elvis is how
fresh and contemporary the pictures still seem, utterly unlike any other portraits of this
endlessly scrutinized figure. Forty large-format Wertheimer photographs chronicle Elvis's
dazzling emergence in a pivotal year, 1956. Created by master printer David Adamson,
these 37 x 42 prints radiate a richness and depth that make Elvis's road
to fame palpable. With cinematic luminosity, the Wertheimer photographs document a remarkable
time when Elvis could sit alone at a drugstore lunch counter. We are there, before Elvis
became an icon and constant security created walls between him and his fans.
February 19 through May 15, 2011
