12.6.17 / New York / New York

Ryan McGinley Showcases 5 Emerging Photographers at Polaroid’s ‘New Original Project’ Exhibit

Instant gratification the old-fashioned way

[Photo: Anne Chen/BFA]

Polaroids are eternal. Despite constant technological innovation and changing trends, the immediacy of the format has always kept Polaroids relevant. It’s not always about the sharpest image or the most ‘bokeh,’ but the feeling an image can evoke, something the instant camera has always managed to bring out in its subjects. Few photographers are more familiar with that than Ryan McGinley, who is known for his professional shots of dreamlike unencumbered youth, but managed to capture that same emotion in off-the-cuff Polaroid shots of his seemingly unencumbered friends.

[Photo: Anne Chen/BFA]

That’s why Polaroid tapped McGinley to curate their latest exhibit as part of the New Originals Project at Chesterfield Gallery. Through his selection of photographers, the medium extends to the next generation who can inspire and be inspired by the instant camera. At the opening reception last night, the works of Hunter Abrams, Marcus Branch, Myles Loftin, Sabrina Santiago, and Rochelle Brockington were on display. Each had a unique perspective to share, ranging from casual snaps of friends and nude portraiture to reflections on size-inclusivity and black youth (and those styles often mixed in one shot). In keeping with the spirit of the format, Polaroid OneStep 2 cameras were available for guests to shoot the party themselves, and most chose to use the opportunity to play photographer and express their own creativity. It was the perfect way to highlight why Polaroids have been such an enduring photography tool from Warhol to Helmut Newton to McGinley, and now the next wave.

[Marcus Branch, Photo: Anne Chen/BFA]