Steve McCurry: Adagio

Steve McCurry: Adagio
Sep 10, 2026 – Oct 18, 2026

United States United States — Photography Gallery
406 W. 13th St
New York, NY 10014

Leica Gallery New York presents Steve McCurry: Adagio, on view from 10 September through 18 October 2026, an exhibition that draws on the photographer's new book of the same name, published as part of the Leica Libretto series. The show brings together a selection of McCurry's most celebrated images—many previously unpublished—alongside a new body of work commissioned by Leica Camera USA. Adagio, a musical term for a slow tempo, serves as a metaphor for McCurry's practice, reflecting what he describes as the contemplative and meditative quality of photography.

For more than fifty years, Steve McCurry has traveled the world, documenting diverse aspects of humanity with an eye for human connection that has become part of his signature style. Born in 1950 in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McCurry studied film at Pennsylvania State University before working for a local newspaper. He made his first trip to India after graduation, beginning a decades-long engagement with the subcontinent and the broader region. In 1984, he photographed a young Afghan refugee in a Pakistan camp; the portrait, published on the cover of National Geographic in June 1985, became one of the most recognizable images in photographic history.

McCurry joined Magnum Photos in 1986 and has since worked as a contributor to the agency and to National Geographic. His photographs have appeared in countless magazines and books, and he has published more than twenty monographs. He was the first photographer inducted into the Leica Hall of Fame, in 2011, and Leica cameras have remained an important part of his process. Their compact and unobtrusive design allows him to work discreetly, building trust with subjects in situations where a larger presence might disrupt the moment.

The exhibition at Leica Gallery New York, located at 406 West 13th Street in Manhattan, includes images that span McCurry's career, from early reportage to recent commissions. A worker in Rybinsk, Russia, commutes beneath a giant abandoned airplane; a boy in Kathmandu rests against an equally sleepy cow. The photographs are evocative, with quietly observed compositions that give subjects an authentic voice. An opening reception was held on 10 September from 6 to 8 p.m., with RSVP required. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Image: Monks debate philosophy at a monastery in Bhutan. This spirited debate is considered a very important part of the studies of a Buddhist monk. It deepens understanding and sharpens the mind. It is a sequence of questions and answers, based on logical reasoning. Bumthang, Bhutan, 2025.


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