On November 4, 2008, a nation divided for centuries came together to make history by electing America’s first black president. This achievement has proven to be more symbolic than substantive.
Russell Frederick is a photographer from Brooklyn, New York and is of Panamanian heritage. His global view and keen understanding of the human condition informs his compelling photography. Frederick discovered his love for photography after an introductory course at the International Center of Photography almost 20 years ago. Unable to afford a continuing education at the institution, Frederick taught himself by becoming a voracious shooter and spending countless days in book stores studying photography. His personal portraiture and visual activism projects have been primarily shot on black and white medium format film. Within the past decade, Frederick has had exhibits and presentations at the Brooklyn Museum, Photoville, the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, the MOCADA Museum in Brooklyn, the Reginald Lewis Museum in Maryland, the Visa pour l’Image photo festival in Perpignan, France; the Reportage festival in Sydney, Australia; the Shanghai International Photo festival in Shanghai, China; the Lodz photo festival in Lodz, Poland; the Angkor photo festival in Angkor, Cambodia; and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Besides his photography work, Frederick is also an educator who has taught and been on panel discussions at NYU, the International Center for Photography, the School of Visual Arts, and Columbia University.
On November 4, 2008, a nation divided for centuries came together to make history by electing America’s first black president. This achievement has proven to be more symbolic than substantive.
This spring, 15 young people from neighborhoods across Brooklyn were able to participate in a digital photography internship that taught a documentary style of photography focused on issues related to their neighborhoods and self-exploration. The goals of this program were to empower participants, develop their personal voice as artists, and teach them to harness the power of visual storytelling.
Brooklyn-based photographer Russell Frederick will present work from “Dying Breed: Photos of Bedford Stuyvesant ” documenting a culturally diverse community at risk. The work raises important questions on the evolution and potential breakdown of traditional neighborhoods.
Learn MoreCommunity art projects, both large and small, can become vehicles for social change. Artists discuss their longterm projects, how they began, how they involve their communities, and what advice they have for other artists who wish to engage their own communities in art projects. Panelists will discuss projects on local communities and the impacts they’ve had, far and wide.
Learn MoreIn this panel, students from the program in Brownsville and Red Hook will present their photographs from the summer followed by a conversation about participatory photography, and ways that photography can be used to address social justice issues in the community.
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