Van Der Zee, James. James Van Der Zee: On and Off the Record.

Sharpe Gallery, New York, 1987. Wraps, 8 pages, fine except small adhesive mark  where a label removed. 7 illustrations. [Van Der Zee also known as VanDerZee, Van DerZee.] Foreword by Donna Mussenden-Van Der Zee. Introduction by Brooks Adams.  Summary:

James Van Der Zee: On and Off the Record (April 11–May 10, 1987) is a scarce, ephemeral seven-page exhibition catalog published by the Sharpe Gallery in New York's East Village. Moving away from the typical institutional retrospective, this minimal gallery publication accompanied a unique exhibition that juxtaposed the public identity of Harlem’s most famous photographer against the private, candid realities captured behind his lens.

The Curatorial Premise: "On" vs. "Off" the Record

The title of the exhibition outlines its dual-narrative approach to Van Der Zee’s vast archive, which famously documented the Harlem Renaissance from the 1900s through the 1940s:

• "On the Record" (The Constructed Image): This aspect focused on Van Der Zee’s legendary, highly choreographed studio portraiture. These images showcased Harlem's middle class and elite—including beautifully styled church groups, newlyweds, and civic leaders—posed against romanticized backdrops with affluent props. It represented the idealized, dignified self-image Harlem wished to project to the world.

• "Off the Record" (The Unvarnished Snapshot): The true rarity of this show was its focus on Van Der Zee’s casual, candid street photography and spontaneous, unposed moments. These photographs captured the raw, daily rhythm of Harlem—children playing on stoops, workers on the avenue, and unscripted glances—revealing a more intimate, casual human landscape that existed outside the formal studio setting.

Catalog Production and Scarcity

Because the Sharpe Gallery was an independent, contemporary art space rather than a major museum, the catalog was produced in a very limited, small-press run. Spanning just seven pages, the publication functions primarily as a conceptual checklist and a historical ledger of the show. It features crisp, high-contrast black-and-white reproductions that contrast his meticulously composed multi-negative darkroom masterpieces against his direct, unmanipulated snapshots.

Significance

On and Off the Record is highly prized by photo-historians and collectors because it expanded the understanding of Van Der Zee’s artistic range. By breaking down the barrier between his commercial, client-driven studio work and his personal, documentary observations, the Sharpe Gallery catalog successfully demonstrated that Van Der Zee was not just a master of the portrait studio, but an intuitive, sharp-eyed street photographer who captured the complete, multi-layered pulse of 20th-century Harlem.