I was moved to photograph the arrival of COVID-19 in the U.S. because of the severity of the virus’s global impact. There were so many unknowns as the virus arrived stateside. The national and local governments rushed to contain its spread. Unfortunately, the number of victims increased to unprecedented heights, with Black and brown people succumbing in disproportionate numbers.
Just when the curve began to flatten in New York City, the news of the murder of George Floyd rapidly spread over networks and social media, so I traveled to the Twin Cities. When I arrived in Minneapolis, I felt compelled to sit with, photograph, and interview the residents, activists, and people who acted as a support system, to those who were center in the uprisings.
I was interested in the stories that detailed how we arrived at this moment. I knew that this moment of a global reckoning of race and injustice would be historic, and I felt passionately–and even responsible–as a Black documentarian to participate in the storytelling. My portraits document the lived experiences of Black Americans during the double crisis of the pandemic, and the uprisings against injustice.
Artist Bios
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Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn is a documentary photographer based in New York City. Her work has been supported with grants and fellowships from the International Women’s Media Foundation, Columbia University’s Institute for Research in African American Studies, and the Research Foundation of the City University of New York. She is a four-time recipient of the Community Arts Grant from the Brooklyn Arts Council. Her projects have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, BBC, and OkayAfrica, among other publications. She has curated exhibitions at the Brooklyn Historical Society, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Port Authority of NY/NJ, and has given talks on her photography at Yale University, New York University, Howard University, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. She was recently an artist-in-residence at the Waaw Centre for Art and Design in Saint-Louis, Senegal. Barrayn is the founder and coeditor of Mfon: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora.
Photo Credit: Alex Bershaw
Organizations
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Photoville
Founded in 2011 in Brooklyn, NY, Photoville was built on the principles of addressing cultural equity and inclusion, which we are always striving for, by ensuring that the artists we exhibit are diverse in gender, class, and race.
In pursuit of its mission, Photoville produces an annual, city-wide open air photography festival in New York City, a wide range of free educational community initiatives, and a nationwide program of public art exhibitions.
By activating public spaces, amplifying visual storytellers, and creating unique and highly innovative exhibition and programming environments, we join the cause of nurturing a new lens of representation.
Through creative partnerships with festivals, city agencies, and other nonprofit organizations, Photoville offers visual storytellers, educators, and students financial support, mentorship, and promotional & production resources, on a range of exhibition opportunities.
For more information about Photoville visit, www.photoville.com
We Are Present: Portraits from the Pandemic and the Uprising
Featuring: Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
Locations
View Location Details Brooklyn Bridge Park – Pier 2146 Furman Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
This location is part of Brooklyn Bridge Park
Explore other locations and exhibitions nearby
- Monday 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Tuesday 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Wednesday 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Thursday 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Friday 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Saturday 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Sunday 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
EDUCATION DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Whose story resonates with you the most or surprises you? Why?
Why do you think the photographer included images from the pandemic and from the protests? How are these events interconnected?
Why do you think it is important for Black photographers to tell Black stories?
