In City Metro, a new exhibition of Brooklyner Jamel Shabazz’s photography at Galerie Bene Taschen in Cologne, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York City (or simply known as the MTA in its environs) plays an instrumental role. But whether they are riding on the trains, sitting on the bus, or standing somewhere at the station, it’s the people rather than the vehicles that are the central focus. Some of them are unaware of the camera, whereas others look directly into Shabazz’s lens, but almost all of them are youthful. His spirited and charismatic subjects represent an accurate, historical slice of New York City’s vibrant and diverse communities from the early ’80s up to the present day, made apparent through the different clothing styles and bold graffiti (or lack of it).
Speaking to SLEEK, the photographer explains how the show came to fruition: “The idea emerged at a time when I was organising my archives into various themes. As I gathered up the photographs I made solely on trains and train stations, I felt that I had amassed a pretty strong visual narrative. In sharing this idea, along with images from this series, [gallerist] Bene suggested that we showcase this body of work in a solo exhibition, and so, City Metro was born.”
At the opening last Friday night, the 58 year-old was in attendance, distinctively dressed in a smart, “Yves Klein blue” blazer with a small, old-school digital camera strapped securely around his neck. A statuesque and gentle-speaking man, Shabazz chatted with visitors about his photos, how he doesn’t miss the subway tokens phased out in the late ‘90s (though he still has a few lying around at home today), and how he loves fashion.
Shabazz also shares some highlights: “The strongest images in the show for me are those showing friendship, family, and social issues. One in particular, is a colour photograph of a young father with his twin daughters on a city bus. What makes that photograph strong for me is that you have two young girls with a father who is actively present in their lives to teach and guide them.” Another image he spotlights is a black and white photograph of a homeless man lying beneath an advertisement reading “If it concerns you, it concerns us”. For Shabazz, the image represents a time in which he started to make images that reflected the pervasive social issues in New York City, including homelessness — an issue that he describes as “very close to my heart”.
Throughout his work, Shabazz addresses a range of social issues, including the current state of the New York City subway lines and their frequent delays. Next year, in fact, the L Train — one of the main arteries between Manhattan along 14th Street and Brooklyn — will be shutting down in April for 15 months. Along with its 400,000 daily commuters, it will inevitably affect many MTA lines as those passengers will have to look for alternatives on other routes.“Regarding the present state of the MTA, it is horrendous,” confirms Shabazz. It seems that trains are always running late and when they do arrive they are often overcrowded. The need for subway repairs are without question, but I cannot imagine how many lives will be altered when those repairs go into effect next year on the L line, as it serves as a major conduit and life line for many riders traveling within the city.”
Shabazz should know. Though he picked up his first camera when he was 15, he started photography in earnest at the age of 20 with a goal to document people and places in New York City: from colourful youth culture to social conditions. He logged in a good number of hours on trains and in stations: “Back in the 1980s when I spent a lot of time riding the trains, I favoured the Brooklyn #2, 3, 4, 5 lines. They were the direct route that took one from Brooklyn into parts of Manhattan,” he explains. And fellow photographers like Leonard Freed, James Van Der Zee and Gordon Parks inspired the born-and-bred Brooklyn native to chronicle a visual record, especially of the Black American community.
While youth remains a central theme in his new show, the photos predate current selfie culture that many associate with today’s digital generation. When asked about selfies, Shabazz responds matter of factly: “I appreciate that many young people are embracing the wonders and joys of photography however, I would like to see them point the camera at someone or something than themselves.” To this day, Shabazz continues to be active in photography — this year, he was a recipient of the Gordon Parks Award for his contributions to photography. There is something to be said for his innate talent for visual narrative and his characteristic ability to capture scenes where people appear natural and relaxed in front of his camera. And his secret? “What I can say is that I forged a lot of friendships with many of the people I photographed.”
City Metro runs until 2 February 2019 at Galerie Bene Taschen in Cologne, Germany.
All images courtesy of Galerie Bene Taschen. Copyright of Jamel Shabazz.