bronx documentary center
today, intermittently, throughout this task-filled day, i spent my spare time surfing the web, catching up on our ludicrous reality campaign, getting caught up in youtube blasian vlogs, and ending up filling out a moma survey, which in turn got me to look into paola antonelli, using startpage /not google/ to view her ted talk vids, then moved on to thelma golden, and it dawned on me how into pegging our bloody society is.
i don't want to be boxed into label wars. i don't want to be handled in a digestible form because some ceo doesn't know how to handle reality. i don't want somebody else telling someone else, hey this is who or what she is and does. nope. that's other people's business. i am who i am, and expect others to create their own perception of me on their own. geez do i hate labels.
anyhow, this labeling thing is reflective of how our politics have become what they are today. there are a bunch of people who like to think for us, and create laws based on those thoughts they have for their citizens. unfortunately we are not more like the french. too many do not stand in solidarity, but allow these -- i would say ignorant -- fools to butt our heads against each other. or maybe i should call them devious since they know what they are doing.
whatever, i do not want to be pigeonholed. that may be the reason why i find it hard to conscientiously follow a theme. that is why i cannot hang out with just one group of people. one race of people. well, i take that back, the only people i like hanging out with are those who are culturally aware. it doesn't mean they are not quick to judge, but that diversity allows me to breath fresh air.
the other day i visited the bronx documentary center. i read about it while surfing for some culture pointers, and landed on a wonderful article about photojournalist eugene richards' "below the line: living poor in america" exhibition. you can read all about it in the great emag "l'oeil de la photographie" and filter through some of their other aritcles (don't worry, it's written in english). better yet, try to catch the show. it ends in two days, on November 6, 2016.
so i planned my day, expecting a large space, lots of walking, but was surprised to find a rather small 3 story corner brick building. the gallery space is on the street level, with large storefront windows encasing the front and side. i found out the library is located on the second floor, and you can make use of it by appointment. for a small space they did an excellent job curating the work. the mobile walls featured the larger pieces, and the few excerpts next to key pictures totally humanized the people whose lives we were given privy to.
after getting out of the 5 train, walking a few blocks through these bronx streets, active with street vendors and construction work, once inside a solace like a breath of fresh air enters you. it's amazing how it felt like i was visiting a small gallery in lancaster. the place actually reminded me of my school days at friend's world college, at their old long island campus in huntington. greeting you at the entrance is a young volunteer sitting behind a wooden desk. behind her is a long picnic style wood table with some photo books to look through. you can also buy the books, become a member, etc. just check out their facebook page for more info.
