On a Wednesday Night at the Soho Grand Hotel, a gateway to the past opened.
“Downtown Lens” was a visual taste of what New York was like during the '70s and '80s. The curation gathered 20 photographers from that time period and many of them also attended. The exhibition showed through a series of candids and black and white photos a sense of freedom in this time period. The location of the photos consisted of various clubs, streets, and music venues that showed celebrities and everyday people alike. From Depeche Mode to Blondie, the song choices also added a perfect sense of nostalgia to the exhibition.
The exhibition brought out a fabulous crowd, young and old. There were punks, photographers and fashionistas alike admiring the photos altogether. There were also some stars in attendance, such as Lauren Hutton, Micheal Halsband and Bob Gruen. Amongst them, conversations throughout the exhibition were made up of guests reminiscing over shared experiences in that time period, many having lived through it.
To them, the photos acted as reflection to the past and for some, it felt as if they were transported back to that time.
Artists, rock stars, and models were the highlights of the exhibition, with stars such as Grace Jones, Madonna and Andy Warhol making cameos throughout. The photograph of Grace Jones in particular was positioned in a way that reigned above the other photos; in it, Jones has an intense stare, looking like she was crawling through the photograph and onto the exhibit floor.
Like Jones candid, in "Life through a Downtown Lens," the photos were very in the moment. Whether it be the Rolling Stones rocking out on stage. or Nico singing at CBGB, it felt like one was actually there. There was a sense of authenticity shown in the photos: most were candids, and the way they were shot urged viewers to interact with them.
More than anything, the exhibit showed the true essence of what New York was. The curation showed the contrast between the grime and luxury that flooded the New York streets in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
The exhibit is open until May 3, 2026 at The Gallery at Soho Grand
Photography by Mark Minton
