For many photographers, there was a bittersweetbright side to the early stages of lockdown: With no commercial or editorial gigs in sight, they could finally focus on their personal work. Now, thanks to New York City’s International Center of Photography, they’re also able to display it. Amidst the chaos of 2020, curator-at-large Isolde Brielmaier commissioned five emerging Black artists to offer a window into the lesser-seen sides of their experiences navigating the pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests, and U.S. presidential election. A year or so later, the results are on display in “Inward: Reflections on Interiority,” a new exhibition featuring Quil Lemons, Djeneba Aduayom, Brad Ogbonna, Isaac West, and Arielle Bobb-Willis. Whether you know it or not, there’s a good chance that you’ve both come across their work—regularly featured in publications like the New York Times and Vanity Fair—and never seen this side of their practices. Take a look, here.
