The Ursula C. Schwerin Library at New York City College of Technology will host an exhibit of the photography of English Professor Carole K. Harris from October 8 through November 8, 2008, in the library showcase windows, Atrium 4th floor, 300 Jay Street (at Tillary), Downtown Brooklyn. Admission is free.
A resident of Brooklyn, Harris has been taking photographs since her grandfather gave her an old Brownie camera as a teenager. She is drawn to dilapidated landscapes empty of people and to distracted people “hanging out” in places of transition like train stations, bus stations and airports. She is intrigued by those who themselves are biding time in states of transition – teenagers, the elderly, children. She loves observing how teenagers physically lean into their parents while waiting in line, and how the young fearlessly, flirtatiously or dreamily meet or ignore the eye of the camera.
The exhibit features three photographic themes: “Children Gazing,” “Hanging Out” and “Passing Worlds.” Pictured here is one of the shots from “Hanging Out.”
“There are many ways to ‘hang out’ with friends in public,” says Harris, “and in each case the presence of the photographer reveals something about the relationship of the friends to each other. Their display of intimacy, slightly intruded upon, seems to be impacted by gender – the photographer’s and their own.”
The two boys shown here waiting for a bus in the Charlottesville, Virginia, Greyhound Station look away from the camera and each other. While their stance might suggest that they don’t know each other, in fact they do. The pose they strike is one that reflects what Harris calls “the code of cool.”
For information on exhibit hours, contact Library Professor Morris Hounion at 718.260.5491 or mhounion@citytech.cuny.edu. Professor Harris may be reached at 718.260.5209 or charris@citytech.cuny.edu.
Library Exhibit: The Photography of Professor Carole K. Harris
October 8 through November 8, 2008
Mondays through Saturdays (when College is open)
New York City College of Technology
Ursula C. Schwerin Library
Atrium 4th Floor
300 Jay Street (at Tillary)
Downtown Brooklyn
