Houstonians are all aware of Marvin Zindler and his investigative journalism with KTRK: consumer fraud and restaurant reports, and of course his exposé on the infamous Chicken Ranch. Many might be surprised to find that within his oeuvre, Zindler served a stint in the 1950s as a crime scene photographer for the (now defunct) daily Houston Press.

Described as a “roving photographer,” Zindler captured the drama and gritty details of the Houston beat. The photographs range from serious to droll, revealing Houston candidly through its victims and suspects in their most vulnerable moments. The headlines and captions accompanying the images exude a matter-of-fact wisdom that brings more charm and desired context to the exhibition. The images additionally stand as a time capsule of style and reveal the fashion of 1950s Houston with the slick veneer of film noir cool.

As a journalistic photographer with no artistic training, Zindler’s compositions are startlingly well arranged and  compelling – cutting straight to the root of the story. Some of the images have white overdrawing made in the lab to emphasize and differentiate dark shapes so the images could read in the small newspaper format. As larger prints, the overdrawing captures a human gesture that makes the images all the more personal and moody. Even if there were no context provided, the images would still ooze drama and suggest a deeper story.

There is an opening reception tonight (Thursday, March 24th) from 6p-8p. It’s feasible to attend the reception, wait out rush hour and then jet down to Twestival. Should you miss the reception, don’t sweat it! The exhibition lasts through August 13th.

WHEN: Tuesday – Saturday, 10a-5p through August 13th

WHERE: Museum of Printing History, 1324 West Clay Street (Between Waugh and Montrose; Dallas and Gray)

HOW MUCH: The Museum of Printing History has free admission!

You can find more information about the exhibition at the Museum of Printing History’s website.