New York City stands out for being a place full of history, abundant in its vibrant diversity and life-enriching events for people from all walks of life. Many times, we don't know what we're missing.
A new exhibition hopes to change that in the Bronx through an array of photographs that portrays the borough's daily life in a way that may often be underappreciated -- or even unrecognized -- by those who don't live or spend time there.
It all starts with the Instagram account Everyday Bronx, which is part of The Everyday Projects global initiative that seeks to amplify local voices and champion a form of collective, grassroots storytelling.
Founded in 2014, the page exclusively features photographs of its followers, more than 43,000 strong, and seeks to inform public perspective of the Bronx by telling extraordinary stories of ordinary people.
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Curated by Rhynna Santos, a Puerto Rican documentary photographer living and working in the Bronx, the page is populated daily by five volunteer members who support her passion. She's also behind the exhibit, which features more than 50 photos and videos, mostly from cellphones, in what has become a sort of online archive of borough life.
"The Bronx suffers from having the most negative stereotypes in New York, but we know the truth, that this is not the case, that in this borough we have strong people."
Rhynna M. Santos, exhibition curator and founder of Everyday Bronx
By encouraging fans to photograph their neighborhoods, Everyday Bronx encourages artistic expression by a variety of people, not just trained photographers, and creates a unique online archive of documentary images, Santos says.
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"The Bronx suffers from having the most negative stereotypes in New York, from violence, poverty, not having a real culture, but we know the truth, that this is not the case, that in this borough we have strong people, that they really do a lot, and we are trying to tell that story," she told Telemundo 47. "We have a very rich and beautiful history."
(Lea esta historia en español aquí.)
"The most important thing for me is to show the photographs to more people, so they can see the talent that is here, that you don't have to be a professional to show and give this kind of opportunity," Santos added.
Her exhibition's opening night had music, breakdancing and graffiti, celebrating the Bronx's history as the birthplace of hip-hop and its role as an epicenter for creative art, music and dance.
"The reactions have been incredible," Santos says. "One visitor told me, 'I've had bad times, but you put up one of my photos and every time I feel bad I take it out and look at it.' That's the impact I thought we had, but seeing it, it's really incredible."
Where can I find the exhibition?
It is held at the Bronx Documentary Center located at 614 Courtlandt Avenue, The Bronx, NY 10451.
What days is it open?
Gallery Hours: Thur-Fri 3-7PM & Sat-Sun 1-5PM
On view until May 14th.
Who is Rhynna M. Santos?
She is a Puerto Rico-born documentary photographer and teaching artist who lives and works in The Bronx. Santos' art captures the beautiful, painful, funny, and infinitely complex lives and perspectives of people of color in her community.
For more information, go here.
