Bronx Image: New York Public Library

Photo: Camilo José Vergara - Exhibit NYPL: Public Eye 
Bronx Lions: Patience & Fortitude - Carved by The Piccirilli Brothers - Bronx, New York
NYPL Visitors: The Library serves some 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually; in addition, the Library’s website receives 32 million visits annually from more than 200 countries.

Bronx Lions guarding the New York Public Library: I recently spent the morning at the Midtown New York Public Library. I had an interesting experience. I came across the Public Eye: 175 Years of Sharing Photography, a Photo exhibit which consisted of random "Streetview" images of NYC and also places throughout the world.
I was deeply disturbed by the representation of The Bronx at this exhibit. "The Bronx is Burning" image is still haunting us and lingering to this day.   
I don't think Photographer Camilo José Vergara set out to specifically exploit the old image of The Bronx since he included a "before and after" but after contacting the New York Public Library, I was able to get a written response from an employee in the Prints Department. I realized it was perhaps our fault we didn't submit enough images to represent The Bronx. I wrote to the NYPL and suggested we get new and more positive images instead of using a negative depiction of The Bronx - The NYPL sent me the selection criteria & guidelines: Submissions and required proposals for an exhibit.
This is an open call for "Bronx Photographers" to submit their work and represent The Bronx at The New York Public Library on 5th Avenue.
NYPL Exhibition Guidelines: http://www.nypl.org/events/exhibition-guidelines        
         

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