Saturday, February 7, 2009

Museum of the City of New York : Photographs of the South Bronx by Ray Mortenson

Museum of the City of New York : Photographs of the South Bronx by Ray Mortenson: "Broken Glass: Photographs of the South Bronx by Ray Mortenson
Nov 14 through Mar 8

Made between 1982 and 1984, the photographs in Broken Glass: Photographs of the South Bronx by Ray Mortenson focus on the burned out, abandoned, and razed structures of entire city blocks in the South Bronx, documenting the aftermath of a widespread urban economic crisis that plagued the United States in the 1970s. Putting the political, economic and social causes for this collapse aside, Mortenson's photographs consider the land and loss in human terms. They project a haunting silence, reminding us that these neighborhood streets were cradles of the community, lined with the homes of individuals and families. Hints of a once prosperous district are revealed in Mortenson's work through a stark black-and-white portrayal of what remained.



Broken Glass: Photographs of the South Bronx by Ray Mortenson, is generously supported by the Marlene Nathan Meyerson Family Foundation.
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
ORDER TICKETS HERE
Tue, February 17, 6:30 PM
The Rebirth of the South Bronx"

1 comment:

ray said...

Haunting definitely describes it for me - I grew up in the Bronx and was about 6 yrs old when these photos were taken. I remember being so afraid of fires when it was time to go to sleep. It's amazing how far the Borough has come since those days.