On March 20, the International Center of Photography announced an open call for imagemakers around the world to post and tag imagery of their experiences as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded. Photojournalism and documentary pictures sit with staged and more metaphorical photographs. Amateur smartphone pictures are being uploaded alongside the work of professional imagemakers from around the world. A whole range of emotions are present: anger, despair, loss, confusion, frustration, boredom, loneliness, strength, and resolve.
Then, on May 25, George Floyd, a Black man, was killed in Minneapolis by a white police officer and millions came out of isolation to gather in anger and defiance of centuries of systemic racism and white supremacy. Thousands of #ICPConcerned images of the demonstrations were uploaded and shared.
Now, ICP has initiated an evolving #ICPConcerned exhibition. One thousand images are being chosen by a wide range of ICP staff—curators, administrators, and educators. No one can visit yet, but the process and the installation are being documented and shown online, taking the images back to the worldwide audience that made them. Eventually, the returning public will be able to come see a visual account of this tumultuous era.
#ICPConcerned: Global Images for Global Crisis presents a selection of photographs collected from the ICP Concerned hashtag on Instagram, initiated by the International Center of Photography in March 2020. The images, chosen by ICP staff across departments, present a wide range of responses to recent events worldwide, from the COVID-19 pandemic to Black Lives Matter protests and beyond.
The exhibition at @ICP in New York City will continue to grow alongside the Instagram archive in the coming months, eventually encompassing 1,000 images.
Yorkshire Art member, Matthew Dever had his shot, “Touching Great-grandma’s Hands Through the Window” chosen for inclusion.
Exhibition details:
#ICPConcerned: Global Images for Global Crisis
Virtual Exhibition: August 11, 2020 – December 31, 2020.
International Center of Photography (ICP), 79 Essex Street, New York, NY.
30/09/2020
