INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY PRESENTS WE ARE HERE: SCENES FROM THE STREETS, A GLOBAL EXPLORATION OF THE ART OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

 

ON VIEW 
September 26, 2024 - January 6, 2025

LOCATION 
79 Essex Street
New York, NY 10002

NEW YORK, NY (JUNE 26, 2024) – The International Center of Photography (ICP) will present We Are Here: Scenes from the Streets, an in-depth exploration into 50 years of contemporary public life documented through the lens of over 30 street photographers from around the world, beginning in the 1970s. Guest curated by Isolde Brielmaier, PhD, with Noa Wynn, Independent Curatorial Assistant, We Are Here opens at ICP on September 25, 2024 and runs through January 6, 2025.

Featuring works by photographers from Algeria, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, the USA, and beyond, We Are Here reframes our understanding of “the street” and the activities and exchanges that occur in diverse public and community spaces. In a world fraught with misunderstanding and societal tension, the exhibition highlights street photography’s unique viewpoints on local culture and unfolding events. Documenting both dramatic and everyday moments—from street style to protests—the works in We Are Here testify to the resilience and similarities of the human experience.

“We Are Here invites viewers to confront the richness and complexities of our modern, multifaceted life, emphasizing our shared humanity beyond geographic and cultural divides,” Brielmaier said of the exhibition. “Today’s world moves fleetingly, but these images prove that though circumstances might change, humanity is not going anywhere; the stories of our lives will remain.”

“Street photographers often navigate the complexities of power dynamics and privilege,” Elisabeth Sherman, ICP Senior Curator and Director of Exhibitions and Collections said. “We hope this exhibition sparks reflection and conversation about the historical and current dynamics of public spaces that are shaped and mediated by gender, race, and socio-economic status, and how we critically understand the ways they govern our lives.”

“As we end ICP’s 50th anniversary celebration with We Are Here, we are reaffirming our mission to educate the public on the power of visual storytelling and to foster international dialogue about what it means to be a concerned photographer today,” said Bob Jeffrey, ICP CEO. “As we look toward the future of ICP and imagemaking, We Are Here offers insight into how integral street photographers are to our understanding of the culture, politics, and day-to-day life of communities across the world. ”

We Are Here, while not exhaustive, is expansive, highlighting many fresh and previously underrepresented voices in street photography as a genre, art, and photographic discipline. 

We Are Here includes photographic works by:

• Devin Allen, USA
• Yolanda Andrade, Mexico
• Shoichi Aoki, Japan
• Janette Beckman, UK/USA
• Sheila Pree Bright, USA
• Vanessa Charlot, USA
• Soufian Chemcham, Algeria
• Mel D. Cole, USA
• Martha Cooper, USA
• Farnaz Damnabi, Iran
• Debrani Das, India
• Grace Ekpu, Nigeria
• Niki Gleoudi, Greece/USA
• Romuald Hazoumè, Benin
• Anthony Hernandez, USA
• Youcef Krache, Algeria
• Corky Lee, USA
• Lam Yik Fei, Hong Kong
• Feng Li, China
• Maha Maamoun, Egypt
• Daidō Moriyama, Japan
• James Muriuki, Kenya
• Melissa O’Shaughnessy, USA
• Josué Rivas, Mexico and Otomi
• Joseph Rodriguez, USA
• Trevor Stuurman, South Africa
• Efrat Sela, Israel
• Randa Shaath, Egypt
• Jamel Shabazz, USA
• Stephen Tayo, Nigeria
• Alexey Titarenko, USA/Russia
• Nontsikelelo Veleko, South Africa
• Michael Wolf, Germany

We Are Here situates each work in dialogue with one another, addressing universal themes such as neighborhood and community, urban landscapes, fashion and self-presentation, and protest and advocacy. Together, these topics offer a framework for engaging with the changing social realities of public spaces around the world:

On the Shoulder of Giants (An Ode to New York):
New York City, a pivotal center for street photography in the USA, has nurtured pioneering photographers whose work has inspired subsequent generations. This section honors iconic photographers who have defined the genre, within the vibrant and dynamic context of NYC.

Neighborhood and Community:
Through a collaborative approach of engaging with local residents, photographers can offer an intimate look  at the social fabric of neighborhoods and communities and how they evolve over time. Their work often  results in vivid portraits that shape our understanding and perception, connecting us to people and places beyond the physical spaces we may call home.

Street Style and Self-Fashioning:
Fashion and style on the streets are potent forms of self-expression and identity. Photographers help turn the pavement into runways for creative expression. This section rejects traditional, staged fashion photography, emphasizing the unique style of everyday people, and self-presentation as reflected in cultural trends and social movements.

Urban Landscapes:
With urbanization on the rise, photographers document the ever-changing landscapes of contemporary cities. This section showcases how imagemakers reveal the ways we live, move, and interact with our natural, built, and social environments.

Protest & Advocacy:  
Streets are crucial arenas for social activism. Featuring powerful images of public dissent, this section highlights the streets as vital spaces for expressing collective frustration and advancing social change, providing a visual narrative of contemporary activism.

We Are Here: Scenes from the Streets will be on view from September 25, 2024 through January 6, 2025 at the International Center of Photography. For more information about the exhibition, including programming and ticketing details, please visit icp.org.

Images, L to R from top left: Shoichi Aoki, from the series FRUiTS, 1998. Courtesy Shoichi Aoki; Trevor Stuurman, Untitled (A Day in Dakar), 2023. © Trevor Stuurman; Debrani Das, Cartwheels of Pushkar, from the series Anonymous, 2022. © Debrani Das; Devin Allen, A Freddie Gray protest in Baltimore, Md., 2015. © Devin Allen

 

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Exhibition Support 

Exhibition support is generously provided by the ICP Exhibitions Committee. Exhibitions at ICP are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

About the International Center of Photography  

The International Center of Photography (ICP) is the world’s leading institution dedicated to photography and visual culture. Cornell Capa founded ICP in 1974 to champion “concerned photography”—socially and politically minded images that can educate and change the world. Through exhibitions, education programs, community outreach, and public programs, ICP offers an open forum for dialogue about the power of the image. Since its inception, ICP has presented more than 700 exhibitions, provided thousands of classes, and hosted a wide variety of public programs. ICP launched its new integrated center on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in January 2020. Located at 79 Essex Street, ICP is the cultural anchor of Essex Crossing, one of the most highly anticipated and expansive mixed-use developments in New York City. ICP pays respect to the original stewards of this land, the Lenape people, and other Indigenous communities. Visit icp.org to learn more about the museum and its programs. 

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