Press Release: Meryl Meisler’s LES YES!

Meryl Meisler is back with a new exhibition, this time featuring photographs of New York’s Lower East Side during the 1970’s & ‘80s!

Meisler, the acclaimed New York photographer who documented the heart and heat of the wild 1970’s and 80’s disco and punk scenes in the city, has two acclaimed books published, ‘A Tale of Two Cities: Disco Era Bushwick’ (Bizarre, 2014), and ‘Purgatory & Paradise SASSY ‘70s Suburbia & The City’ (Bizarre, 2015) and has had her work featured in numerous exhibitions. Now she will add her exhibition, ‘LES YES!’ at The Storefront Project in New York City to her growing list of work.

Meryl’s photos in LES YES! capture the New York’s Lower East SIde when it was predominantly a tight knit immigrant and working-class neighborhood during difficult times in NYC history. In 2008, The National Trust for Historic Preservation placed the Lower East Side on its list of America’s Most Endangered Historic Places. Through her series, LES YES!, Meryl asks the viewer to be mindful that these grounds were made holy by the sweat, tears, and love of those who came before us, during a time not so long ago:

“Think about what each of us is doing to learn from, preserve and contribute to history. What will we give to future generations? What will they say about us?”

The Storefront Project, located at 70 Orchard St., NYC, NY, will host the exhibition from May 3rd through June 3rd, 2018. The opening reception is Thursday May 3rd from 6PM to 9PM. The gallery hours are: 1PM – 6 PM, Tuesday through Sunday. There will be an Artist’s Talk & Book Signing: Saturday May 12th from 2PM – 4PM and a LES Photo Walk on Sunday May 13th from 2PM – 4PM.

Meryl Meisler was born 1951 in the South Bronx and raised in North Massapequa, Long Island, NY. Inspired by Diane Arbus and Jacques Henri Lartigue, Meryl began photographing herself, family, and friends while enrolled in a photography class taught by Cavalliere Ketchum at The University of Wisconsin, Madison. In 1975, Meryl returned to New York City and studied with Lisette Model, continuing to photograph her hometown and the city around her. After working as a freelance illustrator by day, Meryl frequented and photographed the infamous New York Discos. As a 1978 CETA Artist grant recipient, Meryl created a portfolio of photographs which explored her Jewish Identity for the American Jewish Congress. After CETA, Meryl began a 31 year career as a NYC Public School Art Teacher. Upon retirement from teaching she began revealing large bodies of unseen work.

Meisler has received fellowships and grants from the New York Foundation for the Arts, The Puffin Foundation, Time Warner, Artists Space, C.E.T.A., the China Institute and the Japan Society. Her work has been exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Historical Society, Dia Art Foundation, MASS MoCA, the New Museum for Contemporary Art, The Whitney Museum of American Art and in public spaces including Grand Central Terminal, South Street Seaport and throughout the NYC subway system. Her work is in the permanent collections of the American Jewish Congress, AT&T, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the Brooklyn Historical Society, Columbia University, Islip Art, Library of Congress, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, and can be found in the artist book collections of Carnegie Melon, the Centre Georges Pompidou, the Chrysler Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and Metronome Library.

Meryl Meisler’s work reflects not only her skill, but her passion as a photographer and a documenter. If you find yourself biting into the Big Apple over the next month, do yourself a favor and see Meryl’s work in person!

For more information you can also visit the website of The Storefront Project and Meryl Meisler’s website.