Modernity's Children: Form as Authority in the Films and Photobooks of Helen Levitt.

The article focuses on the work of photographer Helen Levitt, particularly her street photography of children in New York City during the 1930s and 1940s. Employed by the Federal Art Project, Levitt began capturing children's chalk drawings and later expanded her focus to include candid moments of urban life, often using a Leica camera to create dynamic, black-and-white images that reflect the movement and rhythm of the streets. The article discusses how her work intersects with broader cultural movements of the time, including Surrealism and the New Deal, while also highlighting the lack of critical attention her work received during her early career. It argues for a reevaluation of Levitt's photography as a complex aesthetic project that emphasizes movement and public life rather than individual narratives or emotional content. [Extracted from the article]