Must-See Photography Exhibition in Sag Harbor: ‘A Thousand Words’ Opens at The Church

Curated by longtime Sag Harbor resident and former New Yorker visuals editor Elisabeth Biondi, the exhibition features Avedon, Schoeller, Mary Ellen Mark, and more

The East End art crowd showed up in force Saturday night as The Church Sag Harbor opened A Thousand Words: Photography at The New Yorker, a standout new exhibition curated by Sag Harbor resident and former New Yorker visuals editor Elisabeth Biondi.

Photo by Martin Schoeller, Cindy Sherman, 2000. "A Thousand Words: Photography at The New Yorker" curated by Elisabeth Biondi. Opening reception April 4, 2026 at The Church. Sag Harbor. Photo by Angela LaGreca

Photo by Martin Schoeller, Valentino, 2005. "A Thousand Words: Photography at The New Yorker" curated by Elisabeth Biondi. Opening reception April 4, 2026 at The Church. Sag Harbor. Photo by Angela LaGreca

Robin Williams. Photo by Martin Schoeller for The New Yorker. Exhibition at The Church, Sag Harbor.

Running through May 31, 2026, the show offers a tightly edited look at the photographers who transformed the magazine’s visual identity — and, in many ways, modern editorial photography itself.

From Sag Harbor to The New Yorker’s Inner Circle

For Biondi, who has lived in Sag Harbor since 1997, the exhibition is both personal and historic. Before becoming an independent curator, she spent 15 years as director of photography at The New Yorker, shaping the magazine’s visual voice during a pivotal era.

Her career also includes roles at Vanity Fair in New York and Stern in Germany, but it’s her tenure at The New Yorker that anchors this show.

“When The Church invited me to curate an exhibition, it was immediately clear I wanted to document my time at the magazine,” Biondi said. “This was the most important work of my career.” — Elisabeth Biondi

The Photographers Who Changed the Magazine

The exhibition brings together a heavyweight roster: Richard Avedon, Ruven Afanador, Mary Ellen Mark, Gilles Peress, Sylvia Plachy, Platon, Robert Polidori, Steve Pyke, Martin Schoeller and Max Vadukul.

These artists helped shift The New Yorker from a publication defined by illustration to one powered by arresting photography.

That shift began in 1992, when editor in chief Tina Brown introduced photography, naming Avedon as the magazine’s first staff photographer. Two years later, Biondi became its first visuals editor, helping build the roster featured here.

A Visual Record of Culture and Power

The images span portraiture, politics and cultural history, capturing defining figures and moments with distinct styles.

Schoeller’s hyper-detailed portraits, Mary Ellen Mark’s humanistic storytelling, Platon’s bold imagery and Gilles Peress’ photojournalism underscore the range and influence of the group.

Together, the work reflects decades of shared political, cultural and social history — and the evolution of photography at one of the world’s most influential magazines.

An Opening Night That Delivered

Saturday’s reception on April 4 drew a packed mix of collectors, artists and East End regulars, along with a strong New York City contingent — a reminder that Sag Harbor continues to land firmly on the broad cultural map.

Lisa Tamburini, Sue Solomon, Joy Behar, xx, Bernadette Piccolomini. "A Thousand Words: Photography at The New Yorker" curated by Elisabeth Biondi. Opening reception April 4, 2026 at The Church. Sag Harbor. Photo by Angela LaGreca

"A Thousand Words: Photography at The New Yorker" curated by Elisabeth Biondi. Opening reception April 4, 2026 at The Church. Sag Harbor. Photo by Angela LaGreca

With A Thousand Words, that point is clear: this is more than a photography show — it’s a defining chapter of media history, told through the lens of a local who helped shape it.

A Thousand Words: Photography at The New Yorker runs thru May 31, 2026

The Church, 48 Madison St., Sag Harbor

thechurchsagharbor.org