Harlem Nocturnal
The Village of Harlem has is own unique persona that differs from the rest of NYC. The people are the lifeblood. The physical neighborhood is the arteries that make it a place to be. In 2001, as Harlem was in the early stages of a what many would deem gentrification, I was conscientious about the disappearance of the daily bus tours after Sunset. This registered as odd to me. I then began exploring what it meant to me to be in streets of Harlem at night. Anyplace worth visiting in the day, had to be equally interesting at night. Like any other place in the world, it's just quieter at night.
As this series is now twenty years old, we're able to see what has changed since. Victoria 5 Theater, La Marqueta, and the bodegas in the series have physically transformed into what they are today. The area surrounding the Harlem Station continues to be in a state of transition. When they're you can understand that those vacant lots are going to change that area if/when they are developed.Ultimately, this is a series showing where we've been, and through time--how we are where we are now.
