Opening September 26, 2024, the International Center of Photography (ICP) presents the diverse group exhibition “We are Here: Scenes from the Streets.” Featuring over 30 street photographers hailing from Algeria to China, Germany to South Africa, and nearly everywhere in between. On view through January 6, 2025, the show takes a focused look at contemporary public life around the world over the past 50 years, taking stock of the myriad voices, activities, and locales that make up the framework of what is considered “the street.” Guest curated by Isolde Brielmaier, PhD, and Independent Curatorial Assistant Noa Wynn, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the history and trajectory of contemporary street art as well as reflect on preconceived notions about the genre.

Melissa O’Shaughnessy, Canal Street, New York (2017). Courtesy of the artist and the International Center of Photography, New York.

Speaking of the show, Brielmaier said, “‘We Art Here’ invites viewers to confront the richness and complexities of our modern, multifaceted life, emphasizing our shared humanity beyond geographic and cultural divides. Today’s world moves fleetingly, but these images prove that though circumstances might change, humanity is not going anywhere; the stories of our lives will remain.”

Beyond documenting lived realities within the public sphere, street photography is a potent medium for revealing and exploring greater social, political, and cultural dynamics. Through each photographer’s lens, historical and present contexts are made manifest, offering a new perspective and opportunity to interrogate the status quo.

Janette Beckman, Jean and Christ, East Village, New York City (1995). Courtesy of the artist and the International Center of Photography, New York.

“Street photographers often navigate the complexities of power dynamics and privilege, said ICP Senior Curator and Director of Exhibitions and Collections Elisabeth Sherman. “We hope this exhibition sparks reflection and conversation about the historical and current dynamics of public spaces that are shaped and mediated by gender, race, and socio-economic status, and how we critically understand the ways they govern our lives.”

Debrani Das, Cartwheels of Pushkar (2022). Courtesy of the artist and the International Center of Photography, New York.

Beyond the content of the photographs included in the show, “We Are Here” also provides an essential look at the formal aspects of street photography as a discipline. With the work of more than 30 photographers showcased within the exhibition and an emphasis on underrepresented voices in the genre alongside well-known creators, the show invites broader dialogues around the practice itself, and the role of street photography and street photographers themselves within the realm of contemporary life and art.

“We Are Here: Scenes from the Streets” is on view at the International Center of Photography (ICP), New York, September 26, 2024–January 6, 2025.