Artist Statement: "As a member of the Bronx Photo League, we documented the stories of the people who work and live on Jerome Avenue for eight months in 2015-2016, in the wake of gentrification. This exhibition documents and celebrates the workers and trades people of Jerome Avenue, one of New York City's few remaining working class neighborhoods where many still make a living in small shops and factories or repairing auto-mobiles. The city rezoned two miles along Jerome Ave; speculation and rising rents are already evident. The rezoning will lead to construction of housing units, but also, many believe, to the end of a proud culture of industry and work in this last bastion of New York City's working class. The Bronx Photo League, a project of the Bronx Documentary Center, is made up of 16 Bronx photographers committed to documenting social issues and change in our borough. The Photo League works to present a balanced and nuanced image of the Bronx. The Jerome Avenue Workers Project is the Photo League's first major exhibition. All portraits were shot on Kodak Tri-X negative film with Hasselblad cameras and lenses."
Trevon Blondet is a photographer born and raised in the Bronx. A proud graduate of Cardinal Hayes High School, he was exposed to taking photographs by his father. While in undergrad, Trevon took three credits Darkroom 101, and that set his foundation. Trevon's first job out of college was at News 12 Long Island. He enjoys shooting concerts and sports, but Trevon explores issues that matter to his community in the South Bronx and shows them in a positive light. Trevon has been published in the New York Times, the Riverdale Press, Bronx Times, DNA Info, Metro News, and other international press. The Bronx Photo League has been covered by the New York Times Lens Blog, Metro News, Yahoo News and Hyperallergic.
