In 2009, French photographer Augustin Doublet set out with a small digital point-and-shoot to explore his newly-adopted borough of Brooklyn. What started as ambling walks and chance encounters quickly grew into a years-long obsession as his lens captured a community caught in an explosive moment. Through intimate snapshots of daily life—from the Puerto Rican families of Bushwick to the mermaids of Coney Island, the hipsters of Williamsburg to the gang members of Bed-Stuy, from bodies covered in tattoos to walls covered in murals, streets alive with action or achingly desolate—a delicate portrait of Brooklyn emerges. While the borough fights to maintain its identity against the forces of change, Doublet’s photos capture the stunning timelessness of the Brooklyn sprit, the wisdom of the streets, the skin of the city.
Augustin Doublet is a 27-year-old photographer and filmmaker from Paris, France. After acquiring his master’s degree in cinema studies from La Sorbonne in 2008, he was awarded a scholarship to study at Brooklyn College’s Film Production Program. Upon his arrival in Bushwick more than 4 years ago, he immediately felt attracted to the raw energy and poetry emerging from the streets. Inspired, he wrote and directed narratives and documentaries focusing on different aspects on Brooklyn’s street life. His photography is regularly exhibited in art galleries throughout Europe and the U.S.
Casey Elsass is the Deputy Director of Gallery Met at the Metropolitan Opera. Located inside the historic opera house, Gallery Met presents exhibitions of new work by some of the contemporary art world's most innovative and provocative figures. Previous artists include Cecily Brown, Francesco Clemente, Chuck Close, George Condo, John Currin, Peter Doig, William Kentridge, Guillermo Kuitca, Wangechi Mutu, Elizabeth Peyton, Richard Prince, James Rosenquist, David Salle, Julian Schnabel, and Kiki Smith. Photographer Laurie Simmons’ exhibition “Two Boys” opens at Gallery Met on September 24.
