Turning the Lens on Each Other: at the Field Gallery

With the rise of the selfie as the expression of teen identity today (the cell phone, the webcam, the casual, quick photo on social media), a new project on display at the Field Gallery turns the camera’s gaze outward. How do inner-city youth see their friends, allies, strangers, neighbors, a frenemy? 

In this series, Patch will bring you some of their answers, using photos from the exhibit "Inside/Out: Teen Portrait Identity," one of the Field Gallery's  most fresh, original, and authentic shows. 

Led by artists and educators Jo-Ann Brody and Jamelah Zidhan, urban youth were taught the history and technique of portrait photography. The teens were then broken up into small groups, where they turned the lens on each other, says curator Alicia Morgan. 

"These young artists had an invaluable opportunity to express themselves in a way they’ve never had in recent times: a chance to connect by looking beyond preconceived notions of self," Morgan says. "The result is an astounding view of what they see of each other, and by extension, what they see of themselves." 

The exhibit opens to the public March 27. An artist's reception will be held from 3:30-8 pm.

The Field Gallery is located in the Field Library at 4 Nelson Avenue, Peekskill, New York. For further information please call   914-737-1212, email Alicia Morgan, Gallery Curator at  amorgan@wlsmail.org , or visit the library's website at www.peekskill.org