William Grabowski photographs
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The William Grabowski photographs consist of about 1,160 color prints of digital snapshots of New York City, primarily Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, taken mostly between 2014 and 2021. Especially well-represented in the collection are images of graffiti art/murals in Bushwick, Brooklyn and at 5 Pointz in Long Island City, Queens; street performers, theater marquees, and other scenes from the Times Square/Theater District; winter holiday decorations and events such as the Holiday Train Show and the illuminated residences of Dyker Heights, Brooklyn; and a broad range of structures around the city, especially museums, corporate towers, bridges, parks, churches, etc., with some skyline views.
Biographical Note
William Grabowski (1954- ) was born in Rego Park, Queens and later moved to Suffolk County on Long Island. He studied art as an undergraduate at SUNY Stonybrook, and received an Master of Science degree in secondary education from Hofstra University, and an Master of Science degree in instructional technology from Long Island University at CW Post. An art teacher in public schools for nearly 40 years, Grabowski also involved himself with local and regional arts councils. His artwork encompasses a variety of media, including photography, collage, and painting.
Arrangement
The photographs are organized in seven series, representing New York City's five boroughs plus two series for photographs not related to any particular borough.
Series I. Manhattan (530 photographs)
Series II. Bronx (73 photographs)
Series III. Brooklyn (268 photographs)
Series IV. Queens (205 photographs)
Series V. Staten Island (13 photographs)
Series VI. Bridges, Tunnels & Ferries (57 photographs)
Series VII. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (18 photographs)
Within each series, the photographs are organized by general subject. The series and subject categorizations were established by the processing archivists to facilitate access to the hundreds of photographs. The photographer labeled all photographs with a file name based on the specific subject and (often) the year/month of the image.
Scope and Contents Note
The collection consists of about 1,160 color prints of digital snapshots of New York City. The prints are typically 19 inches x 13 inches. All five of the city's boroughs are represented in the photographs, especially Manhattan (530 photographs), Brooklyn (268), and Queens (205). The bulk of the photographs were taken from 2014-2021; two are from the 1980s and a few range from 2004-2012 and 2022. Each image was labeled with a title and date by the photographer.
One dominant emphasis of the photographs is New York's built environment. This is found in exterior views of a wide range of buildings and other structures: museums, Broadway theaters (especially marquees), sports stadiums (specifically, Yankee Stadium and the Mets' Citifield), bridges, corporate towers, airports (especially JFK), churches, and others. Several of these photographs have a skyline orientation, rather than a focus on a particular building. The photographs are generally of exteriors.
Many of the photographs are of particular unique, often transient, details found on these buildings. The marquees of theaters announcing the production showing at the time is one example. Another are the extensive sets of photographs of street art/murals found throughout the city. The murals of 5 Pointz in Queens (destroyed in 2013-14), at Bushwick Collective in Brooklyn, at Welling Court in Queens, and the Audubon Mural Project in Harlem are well-represented in the collection. There are photographs of the Christmas holiday decorations of residences in Brooklyn's Dyker Heights neighborhood. Sets of photographs taken at the 2017 and 2020 Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden provide close-ups of many of the replica miniatures of buildings shown at the event.
Although pedestrians and street life are not major subjects found throughout the collection, one exception to this is the Times Square area. There are many photographs that capture the flavor of the area, from street vendors to the character actors to the crowds to the surrounding buildings and large-scale signage. The Pride March of 2017, Women's March of 2017, street fairs in Queens, and other such events are also included to a limited extent. There are a small number of photographs of homeless or panhandling individuals.
Finally, parks and other places of relative quiet in the city appear, such as those of Central Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Pratt Institute's outdoor sculptures, Flushing Meadow Park, Roosevelt Island, and others.
Subjects
Genres
Topics
Access Restrictions
For more information on making arrangements to consult the collection, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation Note
This collection should be cited as: William Grabowski Photographs, PR 321, Department of Prints, Photographs and Architectural Collections, New-York Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition Note
Gift of William Grabowski, 2012 (28 photographs), 2014-2016 (319 photographs), 2017 (393 photographs), 2018 (117 photographs), 2019 (204 photographs), 2020 (87 photographs), 2021 (14 photographs), and 2022 (2 photographs) for a total of 1164. A second person collaborated with William Grabowski on some of the photographs; these are noted at the folder level.
Accruals
The collection is open for additional donations from William Grabowski.
About this Guide
Processing Information
All accessions received from 2012 through 2016 (347 photographs) were processed in 2017 by archivist Marybeth Kavanagh. In October 2018, archivist Larry Weimer added the 2017 accessions (393 photographs). In May 2019, Weimer added the 2018 accessions (117 photographs). In October 2020, Weimer added the 2019 accessions (204 photographs). In February and April 2021, Weimer added the 2020 accessions (87 photographs) and, in December 2021, the 2021 accessions (14 photographs). In April 2022, Weimer added two photographs from January 2002.
Repository
Series I: Manhattan, 1985-1988, 2005-2022 (bulk, 2014-2021), inclusive
Scope and Contents
The series holds about 530 photographs taken in the New York City borough of Manhattan. About 160 of these photographs are of the Times Square and Theater District area. These images primarily include the theater's marquees and street performers/character actors in the area, but also include the buildings, signs, vendors, and other scenes representative of Times Square in these years (2014-2020).
Manhattan's built environment dominates the photographs. In addition to the Times Square/theaters, photographs focus on either particular buildings (e.g., churches, museums, corporate towers) or take a broader, skyline view. About 77 photographs move away from the borough's more imposing structures to include parks (mostly Central Park), memorials, statues, and a set of photographs from the far west side of Greenwich Village.
Street art/graffiti/murals appear in the series, in about 60 photographs. 14 of these are of the Audubon Mural Project in Harlem. Some events are represented in the series with a few photographs each, including Christo's installation of "The Gates" in Central Park (2005), Pope Francis's appearance in Central Park (2015), the Women's March (2017), and a Pride March (2017). The two earliest photographs in the collection, from 1985 and 1988, are in the events category; these are scenes from the Jacques d'Amboise Event of the Year at the National Dance Institute.
The container list provides a more detailed summary for each folder.
Arrangement
The series is arranged alphabetically by general subject matter, then chronologically within subject. The number of photographs in each folder is noted in parentheses in the container list.
Art. Street Art / Graffiti / Murals (5), 2011-2014
Scope and Contents
Chelsea, Chinatown.
Art. Street Art / Graffiti / Murals (10), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
From the Bowery, Greenwich Village,and Lower East Side.
Art. Audubon Mural Project (14), 2017, inclusive
Art. Street Art / Graffiti / Murals (26), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
From upper Manhattan, Harlem, Midtown, subway walls, Soho, Greenwich Village, and lower Manhattan.
Art. Street Art / Graffiti / Murals. City as School High School (5), 2019, inclusive
Art. Street Art / Graffiti / Murals (1), 2022
Scope and Contents
One photo of a mural in Hell's Kitchen.
Bohemian National Hall (4), 2018 March, inclusive
Scope and Contents
One exterior, three interiors
Buildings. Various (18), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Chrysler Building (at night), Citicorp, Freedom Tower, American Geographical Society, Federal Hall, New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, Friars Club, Columbus Circle, Bohemian National Hall, Thompson Arts Center at Park Avenue Armory, Chelsea Piers, Brookfield Place, Empire State Building (at dusk, with holiday lights), Grand Central Terminal, and other views.
Buildings. Various (14), 2018, 2020, inclusive
Scope and Contents
2018: Overpass to Grand Central Terminal at Pershing Square (2018, 2020, firefighters at 5th Avenue building after a steam explosion, New York City Visitors Center (exterior), Brill Building (exterior), Copacabana and storefronts, Edison Ballroom marquee and building above, Radio City Music Hall marquee, Salmagundi Club interior and exterior, billboard for Santa Margherita prosecco at the Midtown Tunnel. 2020: New York Public Library, 42nd Street entrance; Jadite Galleries; Trump International Hotel.
Buildings. Various (13), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes Salmagundi Club (1 exterior, 2 interior); St. Regis; Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics (2); Chrysler Building; Trump complex and Riverside Boulevard in upper Manhattan; Gatsby Hotel; New York University Steinhardt Building; Plaza Hotel; Steinway Tower under construction; Trump Park Avenue entrance.
Buildings. Various (1), 2022, inclusive
Scope and Contents
One photo of a closed souvenir shop (Covid-19 impact) in Midtown West.
Buildings. Churches (8), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Holy Name of Jesus, Heavenly Rest, St. Bartholomew Episcopal, Trinity, St. Paul's Chapel, Church of the Intercession, St. Luke Lutheran, Church of Scientology.
Buildings. Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, and Farley Post Office/Penn Station Annex (6), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Farley Post Office exterior, with Penn Station Annex at right (1), interior main level (1) and lower level (1), steps up from subway platforms (1), Madison Square Garden entrances at 7th Avenue (2).
Events (17), 1985-1988; 2005-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
2 photos from circa 1985 and circa 1988: Jacques d'Amboise Event of the Year, National Dance Institute. Others: Pope and crowds at Central Park (the three images of the Pope event were created by Grabowski with Alexa Ruffino); scenes of city after blizzard of 2016; Christo's "The Gates" in Central Park (2005).
Hudson Yards (4), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes one of The Vessel, 2 of the waterfront, and one of the "Edge" from below.
Lower Manhattan (7), 2020, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes Brookfield Place (5), including ice rink, North Cover Marina, and atrium with palm trees; One World Trade Center; and view from promenade across Hudson River to Jersey City.
Marches / Parades (10), 2017, 2020, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Women's March on Fifth Avenue, 21 January 2017 (2). Pride March, 25 June 2017 (7). Wage theft/anti-Governor Cuomo protest (February 2020).
Monuments and Statues (5), 2014-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
American Merchant Mariners; Korean War; Washington Square Arch.
Monuments and Statues (7), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes 7th Regiment (in Central Park), Washington Square Arch, Duffy Square statue, and Battery Park area: Castle Clinton, Pier 1, Merchant Marine, and Korean War Memorial.
Museums (16), 2004-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Whitney; view of Hoboken from Whitney; Ellis Island (exterior, interiors, tile details, etc.); Metropolitan Museum of Art; Cloisters; Cooper Union Museum; New-York Historical Society; Salmagundi Club; Discovery Times Square (Star Wars exhibits).
Museums and Galleries (9), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
New-York Historical Society front (3) and lamp post signage for Kalinsky/Muhammad Ali exhibition. National Academy Museum, "Museum Mile" street sign, Metropolitan Museum of Art front entrance, Neue Galerie banner.
Museums (1), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
American Museum of Natural History 77th street entrance
Parks and Gardens (14), 2006-2015, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Central Park, "Imagine" memorial, fireworks, Great Lawn concert crowd, horse-drawn carriage, etc. (including two color infrared photos); Washington Square Park; High Line.
Parks and Memorials (9), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
National September 11 Memorial fountain (2). High Line at West 20th street (1). Roosevelt Island (6): Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, smallpox hospital, Strecker Memorial Laboratory.
Parks. Central Park (12), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Performer creating giant bubbles, John Purroy Mitchel memorial, Reservoir with east view/skyline, Bow Bridge, Bridge 24, Bridge 28, Tavern on the Green entrance, horse drawn carriage, "Imagine" memorial at Strawberry Fields, Lake with west side skyline, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain.
Parks (6), 2018, inclusive
Scope and Contents
One of Bryant Park, rest of Central Park: hansom cab, musicians performing, 7th Regiment Memorial, Giuseppe Mazzini Memorial, Tavern on the Green entrance.
Parks. Little Island (7), 2021, inclusive
Scope and Contents
7 photographs of the park at Pier 55 on the Hudson River waterfront, taken in August 2021 shortly after the park's opening in May 2021.
Restaurants (10), 2009-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Tavern on the Green (interiors, exteriors, barricaded after it closed in, 2009); Bobby Van's; Hard Rock Cafe; Sardi's.
Schools and Colleges (1), 2015
Scope and Contents
New York University Rubin Residence Hall
Skyline (14), 2009-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Primarily view of Manhattan skyline from various angles. Some focus on particular structures, including Empire State Building and 423 Park Avenue. Also includes Jersey City/Ellis Island view, view across Calvary Cemetery, view into Central Park.
Skyline (9), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Photographs taken from across the East River, featuring the mid and upper east side of Manhattan, including United Nations, Presbyterian Weill Cornell, Rockefeller University, and a Circle Line ship on the East River with Citicorp and other buildings in background.
Skyline (3), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Midtown (Chrysler building and north) skyline (from the east)
Street Performers (15), 2014-2015
Scope and Contents
Times Square (Naked Cowboy, Naked Cowgirl, "painted ladies," Mickey Mouse and other characters, Statue of Liberty mimes); Washington Square Park dancers; Central Park musician in costume.
Street Performers (1), 2019
Scope and Contents
Performers dressed as Statue of Liberty being photographed with costumed visitor.
Street Views - General (22), 2005-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Views of streets (and some street life) and buildings from street level: Freedom Tower, Cupcake ATM, street vendors, Flatiron Building, Christie's, street sign for 6-1/2 Avenue, Brookfield Place, Battery Park City, Greenwich Village townhouse, FDR Drive, Chelsea Pier, Columbus Circle, others.
Street Views- Holiday Decorations (5), 2015, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Rockefeller Center, Macy's, others.
Theaters. Various (34), 2014-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Marquees: Radio City, Cort ("Bright Star"), August Wilson ("Jersey Boys"), Schubert ("Matilda"), Ed Sullivan ("Late Show with Stephen Colbert"), Winter Garden ("School of Rock"), Ambassador ("Chicago"), Walter Kerr ("Crucible"), Lunt-Fontanne ("Finding Neverland"), Palace ("An American in Paris"), Minskoff ("Lion King"), St. James ("Something Rotten"), Richard Rodgers ("Hamilton"), Majestic (Phantom of the Opera"), Helen Hayes ("The Humans"). Interiors: Majestic, O'Neill, Carnegie Hall, David Koch Theater, "Nutcracker" at Lincoln Center. 42nd Street view. Lincoln Center Plaza. "Solar Reserve" artwork at Lincoln Center. Oother signage.
Theaters. Lincoln Center (12), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Entrances/signage to Tisch WNET Studios, David Geffen Hall, and Alice Tully Hall. Interior views of David Koch Theater. Cast of "Firebird on stage. Curtain call and finale of "Nutcracker."
Times Square (13), 2014-2015, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Duffy Square, TKTS, vendors, signage, One Times Square Building, Hershey's store, others.
Theater District and Times Square (11), 2017 July, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Marquees: Music Box ("Dear Evan Hansen"), Minskoff ("Lion King"), Booth. Times Square Disney store, Hershey store, buildings, signs, Duffy Square, street performers in costume, "painted ladies."
Theater District and Times Square (19), 2017 September, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Marquees: Schubert ("Hello Dolly," with Bette Midler), Broadhurst ("Anastasia"), Lunt-Fontanne ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"), Majestic ("Phantom of the Opera"), Imperial ("Carousel"), Schoenfeld ("Come From Away"), Booth ("Meteor Shower"). Birdland entrance, Sardi's restaurant (1 interior with autographed caricatures on wall, 1 exterior); Statue of Liberty made of Lego blocks, building mural, Times Square signs, street performers in character costumes, "painted ladies," homeless man sleeping on sidewalk, street vendor/hats.
Theater District and Times Square (8), 2017 November, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Marquees: Lunt Fontanne ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"), Barrymore ("The Band's Visit"), Brooks Atkinson ("Waitress"), Richard Rodgers ("Hamilton"), Booth ("Meteor Shower"), Schoenfeld ("Come From Away"), Don't Tell Mama piano bar. Marriott Marquis exterior elevators.
Times Square (20), 2018 June, inclusive
Scope and Contents
The photographs in this folder are principally of people in Times Square: street performers (dancers, musicians), vendors, panhandlers, costumed performers (Statue of Liberty, Pikachu, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Hulk), "Naked Cowboy," "Naked Cowgirl," caricature artist, China political protesters at TKTS booth, man carrying "Shine for Jesus" sign.
Theater District and Times Square (16), 2018 June, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Marquees: St. James ("Frozen"), Shubert ("Hello Dolly" with Bernadette Peters), Imperial ("Carousel"), Barrymore ("The Band's Visit"), Manhattan Theatre Club ("Saint Joan"), Brooks Atkinson ("Waitress"), Longacre ("A Bronx Tale"), Ambassador ("Chicago"), Eugene O'Neill ("The Book of Mormon"), Ed Sullivan ("The Late Show with Stephen Colbert"), Lunt-Fontanne ("Summer: The Donna Summer Musical"), Lyceum ("The Play That Goes Wrong"). Interiors: St. James, Imperial. Wide angle view of West 45th Street with Booth ("Boys in the Band"), Schoenfeld ("Come From Away"), and other theaters.
Theater District and Times Square (16), 2018 June, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Times Square signage for theaters, etc.; Duffy Square steps/bleachers (from various angles); street signage for Broadway and George Abbott Way intersection with security camera; Sardi's restaurant (exterior and interior); views from the elevator and upper floor restaurant of the Marriott Marquis (9).
Theaters and Theater District (12), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Marquees:Apollo, CBS Broadcast Center, Ziegfeld, Richard Rodgers ("Hamilton"), Cort ("Secret"), New York City Ballet. Interior of Shoenfeld and cast ("Come From Away") (3). Audience and set of "The View" (2). Stage performance at Radio City Music Hall of Ben Platt.
Theaters and Theater District (2), 2020, inclusive
Scope and Contents
42nd Street marquees and signage; Playwrights Horizons theater
Transportation (9), 2016-2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
2016 (5): Taxi (interior), Penn Station (entrance, hallway, LIRR ticket booth), Circle Line boat (detail). 2017 (4): a Citibike stand, bus in Chinatown with advertising aimed at people of Asian heritage for Bally's casino in Atlantic City, doubledecker tour buses.
Transportation (5), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes cars on Henry Hudson Parkway, Citibikes (parked), horse drawn carriages (2), doubledecker sightseeing bus.
Upper West Side (10), 2018 November, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Veterans Day Parade (2), Central Park West food cart vendors (2), signage for New-York Historical Society's "Harry Potter" exhibition and "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" Broadway play (2), Theodore Roosevelt equestrian statue and holiday dinosaurs at front of American Museum of Natural History (3), fall decorations at townhouse entrance (1).
West Greenwich Village (14), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Washington Square Arch (one daytime image and two night images, the latter including artist Ai WeiWei's "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors" temporary public art installation), Alexander Holley sculpture, Greenwich House entrance, Stonewall National Monument, General Sheridan statue, Duplex cabaret (exterior), St. Veronica Church, Big Gay ice cream shop, Hudson River Park, entrance to Christopher street PATH station, Northern Dispensary.
Series II: Bronx, 2009, 2015-2020, inclusive
Scope and Contents
The series includes 73 photographs taken in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The bulk of these, a total of 55, were taken in December 2017 and in 2020 at the Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden and are close-ups of many of the show's miniature replicas of famous New York City structures. There are also five photographs of Yankee Stadium and seven of the Wave Hill grounds and buildings, among other subjects. The container list provides a more detailed summary for each folder.
Arrangement
The series is arranged alphabetically by general subject matter, then chronologically within subject. The number of photographs in each folder is noted in parentheses in the container list.
Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden (31), 2017 December, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Close-ups of many of the miniature replicas of famous New York City structures such as the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, Penn Station, George Washington Bridge, Cyclone roller coaster, Chrysler building, etc., made of bark, leaves, and other natural materials.
Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden (24), 2020, inclusive
Street Views (3), 2015, inclusive
Scope and Contents
View on Bronx River Parkway, view on Cross Bronx Expressway, man with sign panhandling.
Yankee Stadium (5), 2009, 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Interior of seating, field, and from under the facade (2009); one exterior from behind fencing (2017).
Bronx Zoo (3), 2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Entrance, zebra, and peacock with other animals.
Wave Hill (7), 2018, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Entrance gate, conservatory interior, Great Lawn, Wave Hill House and Glyndor Gallery exteriors, signage at Riverdale Ave and 254th Street.
Series III: Brooklyn, 2005, 2015-2020, inclusive
Scope and Contents
The series includes 268 photographs taken in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. 166 of these images are of street art/murals, primarily from the Bushwick neighborhood, including from the Bushwick Collective. Another 21 photographs, some co-created by Holly and William Grabowski, are of holiday decorations and lights on Dyker Heights residences (December 2017 and 2020).
Other photographs include Pratt Institute (especially of the outdoor sculpture on the grounds), Brooklyn Botanic Garden (including cherry blossoms), Coney Island, and others.
The container list provides a more detailed summary for each folder.
Arrangement
The series is arranged alphabetically by general subject matter, then chronologically within subject. The number of photographs in each folder is noted in parentheses in the container list.
Art. Graffiti / Street Art / Murals (58) (4 folders), 2015-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
All images are from Bushwick, except for two from Williamsburg, which includes one from Annoyance Theater. The Bushwick images include a few of the street artists creating the work.
Art. Graffiti / Street Art / Murals (5), 2017, inclusive
Art. Graffiti / Street Art / Murals. Bushwick Collective (31), 2017 May(?), inclusive
Art. Graffiti / Street Art / Murals. Bushwick Collective (20), 2017 December, inclusive
Art. Graffiti / Street Art / Murals. Bushwick Collective (33), 2019, inclusive
Art. Graffiti / Street Art / Murals. Bushwick Collective (16), 2020, inclusive
Art. Graffiti / Street Art / Murals. Williamsburg (13), 2019, inclusive
Barclay's Center (2), 2020, inclusive
Scope and Contents
1 photo of exterior, 1 photo of mural memorial of Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna.
Domino Park (11), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes signage, park features along East River waterfront, building tower, and street art/graffiti on construction site barrier walls.
Dyker Heights Holiday Decorations and Lights (13), 2017 December, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Photographs co-created by Holly Grabowski.
Dyker Heights Holiday Decorations and Lights (8), 2020, inclusive
Museums (2), 2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Brooklyn Museum (exterior), Transit Museum (interior exhibit)
Parks and Gardens (9), 2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Coney Island (rides, Nathan's signage, Scream Zone entrance), Botanic Garden, Jane's Carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Parks. Brooklyn Botanic Garden (10), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Some of the photographs include views of the park's cherry blossoms.
Parks. Brooklyn Botanic Garden (8), 2019 May, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes springtime views of cherry blossoms, conservatory interior and exterior, and other buildings
Schools and Colleges (3), 2015, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Brooklyn College (Roosevelt Hall, West Quad, Library).
Schools and Colleges (18), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
3 photographs of Brooklyn College (Library exterior, Quad, Gi60 stage), June. 15 photos of Pratt Institute (most are of outdoor sculptures; also Terian Design Center, main gate, main building, Memorial Hall), December.
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch (1), 2020
Street Views (4), 2005-2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Line of customers at Rainbow Bagel Store; Park Slope townhouse; Williamsburg Bridge and parallel street with large scale street art/mural on building; homeless man with possessions in shopping carts (2017).
Various (3), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes: skyline view of Coney Island from within Brooklyn, including Parachute Jump skeleton; Lady of Czestochowa church; and Green-Wood Cemetery entrance arch.
Series IV: Queens, 2010, 2013-2021, inclusive
Scope and Contents
The series holds 205 photographs taken in the New York City borough of Queens. 72 of the photographs are of street art/murals. Among these are 42 images that document the murals at the 5 Pointz complex in Long Island City, their eventual destruction, and the new construction at the site (2013-2016). Another 18 images are of murals in Astoria, especially Welling Court (2017).
18 images date from April 2020 and were taken at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on New York City; these images include shuttered storefronts, ambulances, signage, Elmhurst Hospital trauma center tents, and people wearing masks.
Other photographs in this series include street vendors/festivals, Fort Totten, the Pepsi Cola sign on the East River in Gantry Plaza State Park, scenes from Flushing Meadow Park, JFK Airport, Alley Pond Park, and others. The container list provides a more detailed summary for each folder.
Arrangement
The series is arranged alphabetically by general subject matter, then chronologically within subject. The number of photographs in each folder is noted in parentheses in the container list.
Airports (2), 2015, inclusive
Scope and Contents
JFK Airport (tarmac, TWA terminal)
Airports (13), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
One photo of the roadway approaching LaGuardia Airport. The other photos are of John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport (interiors, exteriors, tarmac, TWA Terminal, AirTrain).
Airports (10), 2018, inclusive
Scope and Contents
All of John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport: views of the tarmac and runways with planes (e.g. Virgin Atlantic, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines), Aer Lingus jet taking off, AirTrain, roadways (passenger drop-off area, exit signage), Terminal 15 interior, TWA Terminal.
Airports (8), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes John F. Kennedy (JFK) (5): planes on tarmac, interior of international terminal 1, artwork, roadways; LaGuardia (2) control tower and roadways; Grand Central Parkway airport exit.
Art. 5 Pointz, Long Island City (42) (3 folders), 2013-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Folder 11.1 holds 14 images from July 2013 of the street art/graffiti/murals at 5 Pointz, prior to their destruction. Folder 11.2 holds 17 images from January and June 2014 of the defaced/painted over artwork. Folder 11.3 holds 5 images of the destroyed building (January 2015), two images of artwork from November 2015, and four images of new construction (2016).
Art. Astoria / Welling Court (18), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
11 photographs of street art (10 of which are murals) at Welling Court, Astoria, November 2017. 7 photos of street art/murals from unspecified locations in Astoria.
Art, Street (3), 2018, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Two details (including description label) from the 63rd Drive Underpass Art Installation and one of a mural featuring cartoon characters (e.g., Bart and Homer Simpson, Pokemon Pikachu).
Art, Street (2), 2019, inclusive
Art, Street. 88th Road Tunnel, Bellerose (7), 2021, inclusive
Citifield (New York Mets home field) / Sports Stadium (2), 2015, 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Two exteriors, day (2015) and night (2017.
Citifield (3), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
2 photos depict the WorldsFARE event of May on the grounds, one with the stadium in the background, one a close-up of a vendor's merchandise; 1 photo of the stadium
Covid-19 Pandemic (18), 2020, inclusive
Museum (4), 2013-2015, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Queens Museum, Queens Theatre, MoMA PS 1 outdoor sculpture
Museum (1), 2019
Scope and Contents
Queens Museum exterior
Parks and Gardens (13), 2015-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Flushing Meadow Park (Flame Thrower, Meadow Lake, New York State Pavilion and Towers, Unisphere, 1939-40 mosaic), Gantry Park (Pepsi sign), Manhattan skyline from Hunter's Point South Park.
Parks and Cemeteries (14), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
5 photographs of Cunningham Park during a performance of the New York Philharmonic and fireworks (June). 7 photographs of Fort Totten, including Bayside Historical Society. 2 photographs of cemeteries: Mount Olivet and Mount Hope (the photo of Mount Hope was co-created by Holly Grabowski).
Parks (2), 2018 June, inclusive
Scope and Contents
New York Philharmonic on stage and fireworks, both in Cunningham Park.
Parks and Cemeteries (4), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes Alley Pond Park (2) and Calvary Cemetery (2), looking out over headstones and with Manhattan skyline in distance.
Rego Park Street Festival (9), 2018 May, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Street vendors (8) and children's bounce houses (1).
Schools and Colleges (3), 2016-2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Queens College (Quad, Kupferberg Center signage, Lefrak Concert Hall interior during concert performance)
Schools and Colleges (2), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Queens College Reeves Avenue entrance and musical performance at Lefrak Concert Hall
Street Views (5), 2010, 2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Street vendor on Queens Boulevard, Rego Park (2010); Street fair vendors (2016)
Street Views (11), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
63rd Drive Street Fair in Rego Park (3 images including one of the entrance to the subway); Steinway Street Festival in Astoria (6 images); End Alzheimer's Walk in Little Bay Park (1 image); panhandler (1 image).
Various (5), 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
4 photographs of billboards and other advertising along the Long Island Expressway (LIE) (some for the musical "Hamilton," one with an obstructed view of the Manhattan skyline especially the Citicorp building). 1 photo from across the East River of the landmark Pepsi Cola sign, in Gantry Plaza State Park, with buildings rising above.
Various (2), 2018, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Exteriors of Queens Atrium Corporate Center and Blanchard Building.
Various (2), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes Skyline Tower under construction (next to Citi Tower) and Jackson Park tower.
Series V. Staten Island, 2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
The series holds 13 photographs taken in November 2017: 8 photos of street art/murals, and one each of Staten Island Zoo carousel; Snug Harbor Cultural Center (signage/partial exterior); Snug Harbor Artist Residency Program building; Borough Hall; and North Shore esplanade with view of lower Manhattan skyline.
Arrangement
All held in one folder.
Staten Island (13), 2017 November, inclusive
Series VI. Bridges, Tunnels, Ferries, 2015-2020, inclusive
Scope and Contents
The series holds 57 photographs of bridges (mostly) and tunnels connecting New York City's boroughs or connecting the city to locations outside it. The photographs include both images of the bridges taken from a distance that take in large portions of it and also close-ups of towers, cables, roadway traffic, pedestrians, and the like. Some images include skylines or other views in the distance.
Arrangement
The series is arranged by subject, then chronologically. The number of photographs in each folder is noted in parentheses in the container list.
Bridges (11), 2015-2016, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Rush Hour on George Washington Bridge; Brooklyn Bridge: walkway and from below (Manhattan skyline in background), vendors, cables, view of Statue of Liberty; Manhattan Bridge, framing Empire State Building; Ed Koch Bridge (Queensboro Bridge); Throgs Neck; Kosciuszko.
Bridges (19), 2017-2018, inclusive
Scope and Contents
2017: Robert F. Kennedy Bridge (Triborough Bridge); old Kosciuszko Bridge (with new in background); new Kosciusko Bridge (one at day, one at night); Manhattan Bridge (arch and colonnade at entrance, roadway); Throgs Neck Bridge; George Washington Bridge; Macombs Dam Bridge; Ed Koch Bridge (Queensboro Bridge), 3 images, including one within Queens with MoMA's PS1 in foreground; Park Avenue Railroad Bridge; Roosevelt Island Bridge; Roosevelt Island Tramway base; Verrazano Narrows Bridge. 2018: Throgs Neck Bridge (1)
Bridges (15), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes: Harlem River Span (1); Hell Gate (1); Kosciuszko (2); Edward Koch (1); Robert F. Kennedy (1); Goethals (1); Willis Avenue (1); Robert F. Kennedy and Hell Gate (1); Wards Island footbridge (1); High Bridge (3), one with Highbridge water tower (1); Macombs Dam (2).
Bridges (2), 2020, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes Brooklyn Bridge (1) and Williamsburg Bridge (1)
Tunnels (5), 2012-2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Midtown Tunnel (toll booth, interior traffic and lanes in infrared color, interior during 2017 reconstruction); Holland Tunnel (interior).
Tunnels (2), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes Midtown Tunnel interior and exit in Manhattan.
Tunnels (1), 2020
Scope and Contents
Includes entrance to Hugh Carey Tunnel(Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel).
Ferries (2), 2019, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes ferry from Battery Park to Statue of Liberty (Miss Ellis Island) and a New York Water Taxi.
Series VII. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, 2016-2019, inclusive
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (18), 2016-2020, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Views of Statue from a distance across the water (3). Interior of Statue of Liberty, looking up spiral staircase (2). Exterior of Statue from various close angles (3). Museum and exhibits (4). Ellis Island buildings exterior and interior (6).