Mitchell Funk's take on the anti-war era ... gritty can be pretty. Biting social commentary is transformed into an intricate pattern of rich reds, magentas and ocher hues. This work was one of thirty works by Funk selected by visionary curator Henri Ghent for the first strictly color photography show at a major museum. Shot in the hippy ear of St Mark's Place in the East Village br In 1970, Psychedelic Head Shops abounded in St. Mark's Place in New York City's East Village, Mitchell Funk breaks with traditional black and white photography and shoots on the street with Kodachrome. His goal is to make color photography full of color in this nascent art form. In this image, a street sign becomes an abstraction as it's photographed through a stair railing. When Funk shoots on the street, he scans the environment for situations with remarkable color. In 1970, the idea of colorful color photographs was the radical trailblazing idea that has taken root in street shooters today. Mitchell Funk invented it over 52 years ago. br Signed dated and numbered 3\\u002F15 lower right recto, other sizes available, printed later, unframed. This work is printed on fine art Hahnemuhle paper. The color will vary from monitor to monitor. br Mitchell Funk is a pioneer of " Color Photography" In 1970 he participated in one the first " Color Photography" shows at a major museum. Brooklyn Museum, show "Images en Couleur" . 1971 Included he was included in the visionary book "Frontiers of Photography" Time-Life. Color ! American Photography Transformed. Amon Carter Museum. He has had more than 50 Photography Magazine Covers and has had covers on Newsweek, Fortune, New York Magazine and Life Magazine among others.