“Seconds of my Life: Photographs from 1975-2024” debuts at the Bronx Documentary Center
A group of women wearing sheepskin coats pose for the camera, holding hands and smiling. A little girl plants a rose on a beach, with a mound of sand covering the flower’s stem. A Black girl rests her hands on a parking meter while she gives a somber smile to the camera lens.
Works by Jamel Shabazz, capturing scenes of life in New York City over a half century, make up a new a new exhibit at the Bronx Documentary Center, titled “Seconds of my Life: Photographs from 1975-2024.”
Some 400 guests attended the opening on Saturday, March 7, including the photographer himself. A Brooklyn native, Shabazz began photographing in the 1970s, snapping photos depicting the essence of the city’s Black culture, fashion, and day-to-day across the five boroughs, spotlighting communities that otherwise tend to go unnoticed.
While the portfolio includes shots of celebrities like Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, much of the work features candid moments in the lives of everyday New Yorkers. The earliest of Shabazz’s work dates back to his beginnings in the 1970s, including photos of his junior high classmates, some of which were featured in the exhibit.
According to publicity for the exhibit, the photographs capture “powerful stories of identity, resilience, and community from the streets of New York and beyond.”
One attendee at the opening who was familiar with the artist’s work, said Shabazz’s photos display an understanding of Black life not always visible in mainstream media.
“I’ve always been a fan of Jamel and what he’s able to capture in the community–showing us in kind of a different light from what the masses are used to portraying us as,” said Ashley Posey, 38. As the daughter of an illustrator, Posey said, photography is an art form that moves her.
“It’s the Black joy,” she said. “Just the playful poses, the environment where he chooses to shoot his subjects. It’s like Blackness 2.0.”
Shabazz describes his own work as “visual medicine.”
“As you see, it brings people together,” he said, looking around the crowded room. “It helps people heal.”
Showcasing his work in the Bronx, he said, also means pushing back against negative perceptions of the borough.
“The Bronx has always had pretty much a bad light for some of the things that have happened,” he added. “I’m glad I could bring images that represent love and joy into this community during these very trying times.”
Another photographer in the gallery that evening, Brooklyn-based Jabari Asante, 29, said viewing Shabazz’s exhibit amounted to showing respect to a “legend” any serious student of photography should examine.
“I came out, showed up, and wanted to see history because that’s what he documents,” said Asante. “I focus on the streets, too. So, seeing his work inspires me. If you’re going to photograph the streets and study Black culture too, you want to study his work.”
According to Asante, a good photographer is always ready to capture the moment.
“He always has his camera on him…and being open to the possibilities,” he added, emphasizing that Shabazz’s portfolio is more than just technique. “It tells a story. “
The exhibit is open until April 20 at the Bronx Documentary Center at 364 E. 151st St. in Melrose.
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