Many New Yorkers only became aware of the ethnic background of “their” local bodega guy in 2017 when more than a thousand stores suddenly went on flash strike to protest Donald Trump’s travel ban on several Muslim countries, including Yemen.
“Bodega Boys” chronicles the everyday lives of the many members of New York’s Yemeni-American community who operate local bodegas in Brooklyn.
Often, men from one Yemeni family own or manage these businesses and ensure their opening from early morning to late at night to cater to a neighborhood’s needs. Frequently, shop owners hire close and extended family and friends of all ages, from grandfathers to teenage grandsons, who run the operations behind the counter.
In these corner stores, relationships are formed, cultures are shared, and identities are shaped. The whole spectrum of composite exilic identity is displayed in a bodega—from the connection to a homeland embroiled in civil war to the way of fitting into the mosaic identity of New York.
Saturated with neon-lit mundane goods and pop colors, this place of passage and business is where boys and men spend most of their lives—working, dancing, praying, eating, sleeping, dreaming…
Mahka Eslami’s series captures the layered experience of bodega owners and workers navigating the challenges of exile while contributing to the rich mosaic of New York City life: stories of resilience, belonging, and the pursuit of the American Dream within a confined yet super dynamic, vibrant space.
This project was developed in collaboration with Golbarg Rekabtalaei, Middle East historian.
Artist Bios
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Mahka Eslami
Mahka Eslami is an Iranian artist and photographer currently living and working between Paris and New York. Her work explores themes of exile and the diasporic condition, examining how identity and the dynamics of belonging are shaped by displacement and the environments communities inhabit. Through a long-term, immersive approach, Mahka Eslami creates intimate visual narratives that highlight the fragmented journeys of individuals and communities navigating exile. Her work is frequently exhibited in France and at international festivals, with notable showcases at the MUCEM in Marseille and the Rencontres d’Arles, where her series, “Should You Survive You Will See Wondrous Countries,“ premiered in 2023. Her project “Tales of Women at Sea“—focusing on the struggles and resilience of migrant women crossing the Mediterranean—was also presented at the Centre of Contemporary Culture of Barcelona (CCCB) in 2024 and will be exhibited in France throughout the summer. Her most recent project, “Bodega Boys,” will be exhibited in 2025 at the New York Public Library. A 10-print piece from the series was acquired last year by the NYPL collection.
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
Bodega Boys
Featuring: Mahka Eslami
Curated by: Elsa Seignol
Supported by:
Locations
View Location Details Brooklyn Bridge Park – Emily Warren Roebling Plaza1 Water St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
This location is part of Brooklyn Bridge Park
Explore other locations and exhibitions nearby
Text & Research: Golbarg Rekabtalaei
The views and opinions expressed in this exhibit are those of the exhibition artists and partners and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Photoville or any other participants and partners of the Photoville Festival.
