The Sound of Shadows

I find myself drawn to particular places, landscapes that reveal a personality and emit a force that excites me, scares me or gives me solace. These locations, not necessarily beautiful, often visually banal, become energized by a streak of light, a dense shadow, a path with no exit, or a view through a spray of branches. My photographs index disturbances, both visual and perceived, caused by light, form and the geometry of chaos and stillness.

Artist Bios

Gerard Franciosa

Gerard Franciosa (b. Queens, NY 1967) has been photographing for over 30 years. He studied photography and art at Pratt Institute where he developed a love for photographic printing. As the owner of My Own Color Lab, a custom darkroom facility, he works hand in hand with artists, museums and galleries printing work for exhibition, allowing him to continue to pursue his quest for the perfect print. He lives on Staten Island with his wife and two children.

Organizations

The Alice Austen House

The Alice Austen House occupies a singular position, both geographically and culturally—on the water’s edge of Staten Island’s North Shore. Once the home, studio, and muse of pioneering photographer Alice Austen, the house dates back to 1690 and is one of New York City’s historic homes. Yet it functions today not as a static historic site, but as a dynamic contemporary arts hub.

The museum celebrates queer and women’s history while breathing new life into Austen’s legacy by engaging with current artistic, social, and personal exploration. For Austen, this home, now a public park, was a radical retreat and safe haven for her and her largely queer circle of friends. That spirit of refuge and experimentation continues today. We activate the house and grounds through our Queer Ecologies Garden, deep community partnerships, and sustained support for artists, fostering the creation of new work that honors the past while speaking directly to the present.

The museum and public park have been a National LGBTQ+ landmark since 2017.
NYC Parks

NYC Parks is the steward of more than 30,000 acres of land — 14 percent of New York City — including more than 5,000 individual properties ranging from Coney Island Beach and Central Park to community gardens and Greenstreets. We operate more than 800 athletic fields and nearly 1,000 playgrounds, 1,800 basketball courts, 550 tennis courts, 65 public pools, 51 recreational facilities, 15 nature centers, 14 golf courses, and 14 miles of beaches. We care for 1,200 monuments and 23 historic house museums. We look after 600,000 street trees, and two million more in parks. We are New York City’s principal providers of recreational and athletic facilities and programs. We are home to free concerts, world-class sports events, and cultural festivals.