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Lit by somebody else's strobe/flash! I was photographing the Aztec Blessing Dance outside Carlito's Café, where I had been invited by the Colorado sisters (behind the dancer in white) of the Coatlicue Theatre Co. to attend a celebration of the 4th Anniversary of the Caracoles in Chiapas, Mexico. I met Elvira & Hortensia Colorado at the performance of La Casita that was held in front of the American Museum of the American Indian early this week and they'd invited me to the event.
So there I was, finally, for the first time at Carlito's Café--a place I'd long wanted to visit! I knew the event would be centered around the political movement of the indigenous people of southern Mexico, so was quite surprised--and thrilled--when the event began by everyone going outside to the sidewalk for a dance invoking the blessings of the Aztec gods...
For further info on the Zapatista movement, see this article by its leader Subcomandante Marcos, as well as a brief chronology of the Chiapas conflict here.
El Barrio; New York City
i asked susan to highlight the baloon for me cuz she's a real artist and can make the light shine on it just right.
East Harlem (El Barrio), Manhattan
New York City, September 2023
All of my photographs are under copyright ©. None of these photographs may be reproduced and/or used in any way without my permission.
© NGimages / Nico Geerlings Photography
NYC vs. Crack.
When I moved to NYC from France.
East Harlem.
The city was dirty, dangerous, crack battle and full of HUGE mice.
The subway system was disgusting.
1 dollar = 761.49 cruzados. (1/1/89) = R$ 0,00027 (Jan 28, 2023).
1 dollar = R$ 3.64 (on May 24th, 2018).
1 dollar = R$ 5,31 (on Jan 28th., 2023).
The title of this mural that was originally designed by mothers in jail and their visiting children from East Harlem and other neighborhoods in New York City is "If Walls Could Talk."
The propose of this wall is connecting mothers who are incarcerated at Riker's Island with their children at home. Over the blue hand the words inscribed are "When you feel lonely place your hand here."
The wall was originally painted inside jail by mothers expressing their motherhood and this reproduction can be found on East 118th Street and First Avenue.
The place has the best gift shop, and I say this as someone who was at the Metropolitan Museum's gift shop just the day before.
East Harlem, Manhattan
New York City, September 2023
Shortly after I stepped out of the subway station in this neighborhood, also known as Spanish Harlem ('El Barrio'), a local strongly advised me not to photograph people randomly. "It's a war zone, people get killed here. They don't like you wandering around with a camera".
Although I initially thought it was a bit exaggerated, I took his words seriously and decided to photograph interesting-looking locals after asking first for permission (which is always a good thing, by the way, showing respect; especially in Harlem). Performing pure street photography here is not a wise thing to do. There are a lot of drug addicts and people with mental illness in this neighborhood, especially around Lexington and 125th.
Then I saw this guy with some friends hanging out on the sidewalk. I immediately wanted to portray him.
When I approached he started rapping. It threw me off a bit (he appears to be a hip-hop artist) but after an introduction, he was kind enough to participate.
All of my photographs are under copyright ©. None of these photographs may be reproduced and/or used in any way without my permission.
© NGimages / Nico Geerlings Photography
Based on the famous Frida Kahlo painting "The Two Fridas (Las dos Fridas)" this mural is titled "Soldaderas (Women Soldiers)"and presents Frida Kahlo seated next to the Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos.
From the artist Yasmin Hernandez's website "Both women shared a profound love for their respective homelands of Mexico and Puerto Rico, appreciated and upheld revolutionary ideals, and embodied a feminist outlook. They suffered similar struggles and worked to overturn injustice. At a time in which their male counter parts did not delve into personal issues in their poetry and art, de Burgos and Kahlo unapologetically made the personal political. I view these women not only as contemporaries, but as soul sisters, battling the same challenges though hailing from different countries.
In a poetic twist, Julia de Burgos passed away on Frida Kahlo’s birthday. They died almost exactly one year apart. To mark this historic date in the legacy of these incredible mujeres, the mural unveiled with a commemorative event on July 6, 2011 at the Modesto Flores Community Garden in East Harlem.