Pandemic Class of 2020
For the first time in its 9 year history, The Photoville Festival comes to Times Square! In addition to 60 photography exhibitions presented across all five boroughs, The Photoville Festival is staging online storytelling events, artist talks, workshops, demonstrations, educational programs, and community programming this fall.
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OVERVIEW
On view on Broadway and 44th Street is the work of Bronx-based photographer Elias Williams, whose work honors the stories and experiences of underrepresented communities through portraiture and long-form essays. Pandemic Class of 2020 features portraits of New York City’s spring graduates - from pre-K to medical school - and articulates the diversity of their experiences as the height of the pandemic intersected with such a significant milestone in their academic lives.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Due to the pandemic, academic institutions in New York City and across the country still grapple with how to educate their students in the coming year and were forced to significantly alter their commencement ceremonies for the class prior. Schools either canceled, postponed, or developed virtual ceremonies for their 2020 graduates, which for many, meant missing out on celebrating what would have a fulfilling moment with proud family members and friends.