Exhibitions: Click! A Crowd-Curated Exhibition

Amy Pierce. Squatters, 2002. All rights reserved

Artist Statement

Mixed in amongst the European immigrants who once dominated the neighborhoods there is a newer generation of opportunists. Priced out of the market for apartment dwellings, they squatted in buildings that were abandoned by their owners. Slowly they nested, formed communities, and built families as well as rooms. With the inevitable gentrification spreading through Brooklyn, the buildings, now habitable and comparable to neighboring apartment buildings that pull in substantial rents, there is a battle for ownership. This photo was taken in Brooklyn with a medium-format film camera and a mix of natural and strobe lighting.

20 Comments

american gothic brooklyn-style, nice!

excellent

What a wonderfully subversive picture!

looks more like a magazine ad than a documentation of changing brooklyn.

I don't know what this photo says about squatters.

Interesting, but looks a bit too posed.

these folks look mean! not necessarily brooklyn!

I'm getting the concept of gentrification and displacement, but don't feel that the couple is representative of most of the people this issue effects. Also, technique makes this come across as more of posed, hipster, clothing catalog shot, than a true portrait.

love this

strangely evocative of american gothic...at least to me, nicely done.

exactly right for the subject and the frontier ethic recycled. The dog is a great element

Hell yeah, Ozzie and Harriet step off, Brooklyn's in the House! the hairstyles, clothes, expressions seem to jump off photo.

Brilliant - absolutely brilliant. A striking image strongly evoking "American Gothic" but translating it to arty, hipster Brooklyn. (Note the apron, dog, crying baby with her spiky 'do.) Quite possibly the best image in the whole show.

this family would make one hell of a reality show hard to say what makes this image work so well all the elements are memorable

What a hot mess!

Amazingly striking. I can't stop staring at it.

WOW, pretty amazing. I wish I knew it was Brooklyn from the picture . . . but WOW!

The poor kid ! — Posted by Brien Foy

very strange family but 2 each is own — Posted by kafele clement

Yes, beautiful work! — Posted by anonymous