The Springs Historical Society presents A Centennial Exhibition: The Photography of Burt Glinn, honoring the legacy of the celebrated Magnum photographer and his body of work documenting the second half of the 20th century. On view at the Springs Community Library (1 Parsons Place, Springs, N.Y.) from Oct. 10 through Nov. 5, 2025, the exhibition will showcase approximately 30 photographs, spanning Glinn’s career from war zones and revolutions to bohemian enclaves and cultural landmarks. 

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On the New Year’s Eve leading up to 1959, in New York City, Glinn left a black-tie party and, with only hours to spare, changed into a white linen suit before boarding a plane bound for Havana. There, he embedded with Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries, documenting the early moments of a revolution that reshaped Cuba and the world. His lens captured everything from soldiers in the streets to Castro’s youthful gaze behind his iconic cigar and a candid moment of the Comandante sipping a Coca-Cola — images that placed Glinn at the center of the Springs Historical Society and Community Library. 

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Decades later, Glinn returned to Havana with his wife, Elena Prohaska Glinn, and their son, Sam. They stayed at the historic Hotel Isabella and met privately with Fidel Castro to revisit the photographs Glinn had taken during the revolution, a testament to the lasting power of his images.

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Glinn’s career stretched far beyond Cuba. He photographed pivotal moments, capturing integration and the Little Rock Nine in Arkansas, to traveling alongside Robert F. Kennedy in the weeks before his assassination. His practice was marked not only by access but also by proximity — whether with world leaders, artists, or activists, Glinn immersed himself fully, creating images that conveyed not just events but the sensibility and mood of an era. As fellow Magnum photographer Robert Capa famously put it, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough” — an ethos Glinn embodied throughout his work. 

 

Glinn was equally drawn to the creative ferment of the mid-century Beatnik scene in New York, Seattle, and San Francisco. With empathy and energy, he documented poets, musicians, painters, and bohemians in their element, along with performers at the Metropolitan Opera and luminaries such as Leonard Bernstein. With his affable charm, he entered these communities not as an observer on the sidelines but as a participant engaging in the creative moment. 

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A member of Magnum Photos since 1951, Glinn went on to serve twice as president of the cooperative and established himself as one of the agency’s most accomplished editorial and commercial photographers. His work appeared in Life, Esquire, Geo, Paris-Match, and numerous other publications, while his books — including Cuba 1959 and The Beat Scene — remain defining accounts of their subjects. 

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Though Glinn’s career took him across the globe, he spent his final years in Springs with his family and friends. His connection to the area, with hand-selected works by Mrs. Glinn, makes this centennial exhibition especially meaningful, situating his international legacy within the community he came to embrace. 

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The exhibition will be accompanied by an opening reception on Friday, October 10, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Springs Community Library. Select photographs and books will be available for purchase. At the same time, the library’s upstairs gallery will feature The Banned Book Project, an exhibition of art inspired by banned books, coinciding with Banned Book Month and curated by Karyn Mannix—creating a dynamic pairing of photography and literature that reflects art’s power to challenge and inspire. 

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About Burt Glinn (1925–2008): 

Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1925, Burt Glinn went to Harvard University, only to be drafted after one year to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. When he returned to Harvard after the war, he studied literature and anthropology and photographed and edited for The Harvard Crimson. After working briefly at Life magazine, he became one of the first Americans to join Magnum Photos in 1951, rising to full membership in 1954. 

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Glinn made his mark with a celebrated Holiday magazine color series on the South Seas, Japan, Russia, Mexico, and California. In 1959, he received the Mathew Brady Award for Magazine Photographer of the Year. His assignments ranged from the Sinai War and the U.S. Marine invasion of Lebanon to Fidel Castro’s takeover of Cuba, with his work appearing in Esquire, Geo, Holiday, Travel & Leisure, Fortune, Life, and Paris-Match. He also collaborated with writer Laurens van der Post on A Portrait of All the Russias and A Portrait of Japan. 

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Alongside his editorial work, Glinn became one of Magnum’s leading corporate and advertising photographers. He received numerous honors, including awards from the Overseas Press Club and the Art Directors Club of New York, and served as president of both the American Society of Media Photographers and Magnum Photos. 

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For more information, please contact Elena Prohaska Glinn (elenapro1@gmail.com) or Michael Shulman at Magnum Photos, Inc. (michael.shulman@magnumphotos.com ). 

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About Springs Historical Society and Community Library: 

Springs Historical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the community and preserving the history of Springs. Its mission began with Elizabeth Parker Anderson's generous bequest of her home to the Town of East Hampton for use as a library to serve the Springs community. We present educational programs, collect and preserve local documents and photographs, and operate the Springs Community Library.

 

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