Trevor Torres’ photo displaying life in Redhook. Image courtesy Photoville/NYCEDC/NYC Ferry
Right now, in Brooklyn Bridge Park, over fifty-five shipping containers are being repurposed to serve as galleries for local photographers. The little cluster of buildings makes up a small town, Photoville, an annual pop up gallery that has been showcasing art every summer for the last six years. When you’re there, it really feels like a town: there are galleries, talks, workshops, even beer gardens — and this year, Photoville has debuted its inaugural show, a NYC Ferry gallery exhibition, entitled “Welcome to My Neighborhood”.
On May 1st of this year, NYC Ferry opened its doors for business with one simple goal: make transportation easier for those who live in traditionally underserved public transit areas. This year, in celebration of newly launched Rockaway, East River, South Brooklyn and Astoria ferry routes, Photoville is partnering with NYC Ferry to showcase the photographs taken by young adult and teenage artists from the communities that are finally being served by public transit. The conceptualization of the exhibition involved the collaborative efforts of various local community organizations, such as the Red Hook Community Justice Center, Chocolate Factory Theatre, NYC Together, and Rockaway Waterfront Alliance.
By showcasing photos taken by those who live and grew up in these areas, Photoville is honoring the promise the NYC Ferry has made. After all, public transportation is about more than just getting around; it’s about bringing New York together. Not only does this exhibit bring those of the smaller communities into the larger narrative of the city, it also allows people who live in different neighborhoods to view each others’ worlds in a very special way — through the eyes of those who live there, something that the art of photography is particularly suited for.
Photoville is open through September 24th (with a brief hiatus between the 18th and 20th), so there is still plenty of time to view the exhibit, which is completely free of charge.
See some of the work below, all images courtesy NYCEDC/NYC Ferry:
Once you’re done at Photoville, check out the rest of Brooklyn Bridge Park with our guide to its Top 10 Secrets or learn more about NYC Ferry!
