Here I Am: Photographs by Lisa Leone
About the Exhibition
Here I Am: Photographs by Lisa Leone documents early 1990s Hip Hop culture—the music, dance, art, and fashion—in The Bronx, Paris, and Los Angeles. From Nas in the first studio recordings for what would become his iconic debut album Illmatic, to Snoop on the set of his first video, from ingénue Debi Mazar on the subway to Grandmaster Flash at a RockSteady reunion, Leone’s photographs open portals to the sounds, places and, most importantly, the people who forged and continue to influence the energy that is Hip Hop.
The companion book to the exhibition features contributions by Rosie Perez, Fred Brathwaite, FAB 5 FREDDY, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (AKA Nas), Mare139 (AKA Carlos Rodriguez), and Jorge “Popmaster Fabel” Pabon.
About the Artist:
Bronx-bornLisa Leonebegan her career shooting musicians as well as personalities like Debi Mazar and Spike Lee. She worked for British Vogue and for VIBE, where she was a contributing photographer and columnist for two years. While shooting stills on a music video, the director asked Lisa to shoot B-roll; so began her career as a cinematographer. A few years later, Lisa began work on Stanley Kubrick’s last film, Eyes Wide Shut. Kubrick quickly became her mentor, with their shared Bronx history an important facet. Lisa continues to make her own work and is currently Vice President of Artistic Programs at the National YoungArts Foundation.
