Buffalo, N.Y.
The photographers came together at a time when the pandemic had largely shut down film and TV production, magazine shoots and other fields that generate photography-related assignments. Based in Buffalo, N.Y., Adrian Javon, Malik Rainey, Derrick Carr and Brandon Watson—four Black men in their 20s specializing in areas ranging from advertising and commercial photography to photojournalism—formed a studio pod to support each other in continuing their work. “We were all we had,” says Rainey, 21. They’re able to share opportunities whenever one hears of something that might be a fit for another. “In our group, what we believe is uplifting each other. It’s no such thing as competition with us.”
In their work, they seek out Black and BIPOC talent. In what Rainey describes as a “very whitewashed profession,” they are eager to show it’s possible to be a successful Black photographer. And the photographers’ bonds with each other have strengthened since the pandemic began. While in the studio, they talk about everything from relationships to comic books. “It’s not always photography-related,” Rainey says. “Because at the end of the day, we’re human beings first; we’re artists second.”
—Kat Moon
DJ Carr: Crossroads
DJ Carr is a Buffalo, NY resident whose pride in his community is reflected in his photography practice; his images breathe life into the significance of small moments, often taking to the streets to highlight the people and places whose stories often go untold or lost in the grind of the day to day.
In Crossroads – Carr’s solo exhibition debut – his focus is on his home, Buffalo’s West Side. Over the course of the summers of 2019 and 2020, Carr became fascinated by the undeniable presence of ATVs, four-wheelers, motorcycles and dirt bikes on the streets. Through time spent building ongoing relationships with the riders and their friends, DJ came to learn about the camaraderie and pride at the core of the bike life. His authentic, raw, and vibrant street portraits capture a commanding collective of riders and enthusiasts, who during the summer months can be seen cruising from the West Side to the East and beyond. Forcing traffic to bend to their will, the sheer volume of riders in the streets demand space and subsequently the acknowledgement of their presence. On the road. In the city. Here. Unmoved by the illegalities of ATVs, complaints of disturbance from neighboring residents or rising incentives to report riders to local police.
This defiant act serves as a declaration of identity: a gathering of people who enjoy the ride and apologize to no one for it. Such a declaration can leave many with layers of mixed feelings - with residents demanding their own pockets of peace and quiet, the West Side’s bike culture illuminates larger conversations around entitlements to space and the ways these needs can conflict within communities. In spite of its maligned perception, the bike life can be a sacred space for riders, one of freedom and fellowship, with DJ’s images providing an immersive view. As the nuanced realities of community collide, the focus of DJ’s lens shifts, documenting neighbors, small business owners, and a local firehouse of first responders. Juxtaposing subjects with seemingly different experiences, interests, and passions, Carr evokes from them all a similar sense of presence, a similar pride and authority over the individual’s own narrative. In reality, whether it be running into fires, running a business or riding in spite of the law, there is a certain risk, but also a certain reward, that threads these communities together in more ways than one. In elevating these narratives, Crossroads highlights the dynamic fluidity of spaces in which people have created for themselves to thrive; recognizing the commonalities that exist within these spaces can build bridges for more dialogue and more understanding to be had within them.
Tiffany Gaines, Curator