Been Seen | Photo Walk with Photographer Cheriss May

West 135th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue,New York NY 10030

16 October, 2021

Description

Photo Walk in Central Harlem with photographer Cheriss May in conjunction with the Photoville exhibition Been Seen. IN-PERSONJoin us for a photo walk in conjunction with the Schomburg Center's Photoville outdoor banner exhibition Been Seen located at St. Nicholas Park in Harlem, New York. The exhibition centers the gaze of Black photographers for whom the ordinary and the peculiarities of Black life occupy memory and is a source for exploration and celebration. Explore the work of Harlem-based studio photographer Austin Hansen (1910-1996) alongside six contemporary photographers: Dario Calmese, Cheriss May, Flo Ngala, Ricky Day, Gerald Peart, and Mark Clennon. The photo walk will feature photographer Cheriss May and exhibition curator and associate director of programs and exhibitions Novella Ford, as they discuss finding inspiration within community and capturing images with an ethics of care. Novella will lead a walkthrough of key areas in central Harlem featured in the exhibition as May provides prompts inspired by life in Harlem and photography tips. Cheriss May discovered that visual storytelling is her passion, and found her purpose. Her work centers on the intersectionality of race, culture, and politics. Through her recent work documenting the ceremonial vote count at the U.S. Capitol, Cheriss was inside during the insurrection. Although traumatic, Cheriss continued to work while barricaded in Congressman Jim Clyburn’s office with his staff. She finds strength through telling the powerful stories of people who are passionate in what they do, resilient in spite of challenges. Cheriss is an advocate for inclusive storytellers and storytelling, lecturing and leading photography organizations that work towards gender, racial and social parity in the industry. The photo walk is for participants of all skill levels and abilities. Limited to 25 participants. Please bring your own camera. PUBLIC NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER By registering for this event, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. By attending an in-person program by The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold The New York Public Library, its Trustees, officers, agent and employees liable for any illness or injury. About Photographs and Prints Division at the SchomburgThe Schomburg Center's the Photographs and Prints Division contains both documentary and fine art photographs, which document the history and culture of people of African descent worldwide as well as the work of photographers of African descent. The collection of over 300,000 images ranges from mid-eighteenth-century graphics to contemporary documentary and art photography. All of the major photographic processes are represented. Learn more about the division here. #SchomburgLive #BeenSeen #Photoville Been Seen, an outdoor banner exhibition, centers the gaze of Black photographers for whom the ordinary and the peculiarities of Black life occupy memory and is a source for exploration and celebration. The exhibition places in conversation the work of Harlem-based studio photographer Austin Hansen (1910-1996) with six contemporary photographers: Dario Calmese, Cheriss May, Flo Ngala, Ricky Day, Gerald Peart, and Mark Clennon. Their practices explore identity, Black experiences, visual culture, and portraiture. Over six decades, Hansen produced a massive collection of more than 100,000 portraits of African American families, clergy, political leaders, entertainers, writers, and community members. Hansen had a photo studio at West 135th Street for 47 years that doubled as a gallery and exhibition space. Following a donation from Austin Hansen in 1986, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture became the repository for the Austin Hansen Collection that includes correspondence, original photographs, news clippings featuring his photographs, programs for special events held at many historic Harlem churches, and other social events in Harlem and elsewhere. Presented as part of Photoville Festival NYC Location: St. Nicholas Park in Harlem - 132nd Street and 139th Street at St. Nicholas Avenue Learn more about Been Seen. PUBLIC NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER By registering for this event, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. By attending an in-person program by The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold The New York Public Library, its Trustees, officers, agent and employees liable for any illness or injury. PRESS Please send all press inquiries (photo, video, interviews, audio-recording, etc) at least 24-hours before the day of the program to Leah Drayton at [email protected]. Please note that professional video recordings are prohibited without expressed consent. Founded in 1925 and named a National Historic Landmark in 2017, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is one of the world's leading cultural institutions devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences. From the original 10,000 items provided by Arturo Alfonso Schomburg to the over 10 million items in the collection today, the Schomburg Center features diverse progamming and lifelong education and exploration that illuminate the richness of global black history, arts and culture. Subscribe to our e-newsletter Visit: schomburgcenter.org/calendar Please read our Privacy Policy