“Bruce Davidson’s 1959 project Brooklyn Gang is an intimate photographic study of a rebellious Brooklyn teenage gang, who called themselves The Jokers. Not only is Davidson’s work a sincere portrayal of troubled teenagers coming of age, but it also acts as a documentation of teenage life during 1950s, exposing the emotional climate of that time period and exposing the dark side of a supposedly innocent time period”
- Wikipedia
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Thank you to Vonalina and to Michael McKean
This is NOT your Mother’s ‘Laverne & Shirley’!
I adore these. What wonderful moments, presumably all taken in between singing about Summer Nights and being Stranded at the Drive-In.
I really want this book – but it’s going for the rather out of my league price of £657.77 on amazon. Maybe not then. Thanks for posting such wonderful pictures though!
Love the main shot. V much time traveller. Same as the comics!
Interesting there seem to be girls in the gang. And it was around this period that the word teenager was coined
Speaking of the retro-ness of these images, I love the graininess. It’s one of those things that I’ve forgotten about with digital images where it’s “noise” and not “grain”. Davidson’s angle of the shot really accentuates the energy of the people he’s shooting. Love this old stuff!
looks like the jokers i knew,hung out on the parkside,tough guys,Michel john,tony vivelo,etc.beat the shit out of me on Bartel prichard square one summer night,hit me with a 2×4
Some of those look like they could be of punks in the 70s/80s. Wonderful shots.
Very vibrant! Pulls you right in.
One thing that strikes me is how slender they all are. Hasn’t our ‘average’ shape changed dramatically in just a few decades. Great pics, really enjoyed them thanks.
ugh, way too many white people.
No surprise they are all white. I’m sure that well before the 50s, gangs were divided by race or etnhicity.
Fantastic images. Lets rumble!
Would be interesting to know where they all are now.
I love these photos!! Does anyone alse think that the girl on the beach smoking a cigarette looks like Marisa Tomei????
yes, monica, that was my thought too, she does look like marissa tomei!
I first saw these at gallery in nyc in the mid-90s, they still knock me backwards when I see them. Something so clear and non-judgmental in Davison’s vision; he captures so much humanity, and youth, in their eyes. And the Brooklyn streets, and those small glimpses at Prospect Park, are just beautiful. Thanks for posting them here. Made my afternoon.
Beautiful
These pictures are amazing. I stumbled across these trying to do research for West Side Story, and they show so much youth and gleam in their eyes. It’s really amazing.
Glad to see this type of fashion is making a comeback
looks like the group from West Side Story.