On View Magazine 07-09.2015 | Page 84

BUILDER LEVY: Appalachia USA Above: Prepare to Meet God, Williamson, Mingo County, WV, 1971. Opposite: Nimrod Workman, Chattaroy, Mingo County, WV, 1972. 84 OnV i e w Ma g a z i n e . es from each period of Levy’s project, presenting a full view of the region over four decades. “This exhibition is a powerful reminder of the ability of contemporary art to tell our collective stories and educate others about the times we live in. We are grateful for the opportunity to present this important work to our audiences,” said Steven High, executive director of The Ringling. Born in Tampa, FL, in 1942, c om • J u ly /S e p t e m b e r 2015 and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Levy received a BA in art from Brooklyn College (CUNY) in 1964. He studied the Photo League and the photography program of the Farm Security Administration in conjunction with his master’s degree in art education at NYU in 1966. He worked as a New York City teacher of at-risk adolescents for 35 years and photographed in his students’ inner city communities. Levy’s photographs have appeared in more than 200 exhibitions. His photographs are in the collection of many institutions, including F