Meryl Meisler, a renowned photographer, captured a moment that transcends time in her striking photograph titled “Man in a Three-piece Suit Dancing Within the Circle at a Wedding, Rockville Centre, NY, March 1976.” This vibrant photograph embodies the joy and spirit of a traditional wedding celebration. It’s perhaps even more noteworthy for the pivotal moment that it represents in Meisler’s artistic evolution. It was this image that landed her a successful grant application. Its chronicle of the shape of Jewish New York, from 1978 to 1979, and her constant struggle to render the celebratory impermanence of her fellow New Yorkers.
Within a year of this picture being taken, Meisler had signed up for a photo course from legendary Magnum photographer Bob Adelman. Her intention in taking this course was to deepen her craft and expand her horizons as an artist. By 1981 when she started teaching full-time in Brooklyn, she had to drastically cut back on her clubbing lifestyle. Despite this shift, the experiences and images she gathered during her early years in New York laid the groundwork for her first monograph, published in 2014, which showcased her unique vision of Brooklyn.
Meisler’s photographic practice has always focused on confident, joyful people. Elaine Sherman, the bride herself, photographed the dancing man at the wedding scene. She was familiar with Meisler’s work documenting her Jewish relatives and friends on Long Island. This unique connection only added to the celebratory mood of the day, giving even more authenticity to the incredible scene.
Her journey into the heart of New York’s vibrant nightlife began when she met Judi Jupiter on a bus returning from Mardi Gras. They danced through iconic discotheques such as Studio 54 and Paradise Garage. There, they vibrated back and forth with the rich culture and powerful imagination of the place. Meisler devoted considerable time to documenting this culture after moving to the city in 1975, capturing moments like a Valentine’s Day party at New York’s Copacabana nightclub and the Coyote Hookers’ Masquerade Ball.
In Meisler’s wedding photograph, the man in the middle of the dance floor happens to be the bride’s son-in-law. She confesses, she can no longer recall his name. Curiously, Meisler’s mother, Sunny, ghosts the image ahead of time as she decorates. Only half of her face is visible — a subtle nod to the intimacy of the occasion.
Meisler’s photograph “Man in a Three-piece Suit Dancing Within the Circle at a Wedding” is not just a snapshot. It is part of her broader narrative documented in her book “Purgatory and Paradise: Sassy ’70s Suburbia and The City.” This ongoing work is a testament to her hearty investment in the suburbs as well as in urban culture.
Currently, Meryl Meisler’s photography is featured in She Sells Seashells at Alice Austen House in New York City. This exhibition, on view September 6 – February 21, is the first to exclusively focus on her singular vision and impact on the evolution of contemporary photography.