Ray Mortenson - Images of the South Bronx

An 1983 Ray Mortenson photograph taken in the South Bronx.

Really enjoyed the piece in the NY Times last week about Ray Mortenson's photos taken during an 'I Am Legend' period of NY in the early 80s. Check out the link (if it works) and the other photos from his series.  They are part of an exhibit showing at the Museum of the City of New York called 'Broken Glass.' Hope to get a chance to check out this show in person. Some beautiful, haunting images. Would be great to hear him speak with the images as well (giving us the backstory behind each one)...

If you like Mortenson's work, then you may wanna check out the film Downtown 81. It starred the artist Basquiat as a struggling painter and featured him walking around different bombed out sections of NYC around the same time. Would love have seen NY during this period (and to have picked up one of Basquiat's incredible paintings for a few hundred dollars. Unlike Lars, I could never have parted with a Basquiat no matter how much someone offered me). 

With the way the economy is going, I may get that chance to see NY (or others) the way they once were...and to buy some cheap art.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/arts/design/01brok.html