Wendy Robert
The 1980s are often remembered for neon excess and Wall Street greed, but in neighborhoods like Bushwick, Brooklyn, a very different reality played out. Photographer Meryl Meisler documented this era not through sensational images of poverty and crime, but through a deeply humanizing lens.
Her photographs peel back the layers of neglect, revealing the lives lived within the burned-out buildings and crumbling storefronts. We see children finding joy and freedom amid the rubble – impromptu games of stickball, shared moments of laughter, and an unyielding youthful energy.
Her portraits of residents go further. They don’t pity or romanticize the struggles faced by the community, but rather present people with quiet dignity and subtle defiance. Their weathered faces and timeworn surroundings tell a story far more complex than simple despair. Meisler invites us to see these individuals not as statistics or victims, but as neighbors, friends, and the very heart of Bushwick.
While hardship is present, Meisler’s work also highlights the pockets of resistance and connection that flourished in Bushwick. From shared meals on stoops to vibrant street art challenging the dominant narratives of blight, her photographs show a neighborhood fighting for a better future.
There’s an inherent sense of community spirit – people stopping on sidewalks to converse, or working together to salvage something from the ruins. These snapshots of human connection, a reminder that the soul of a place lies not in its buildings, but in the people who inhabit them.
Meryl Meisler is author of two internationally acclaimed photography books A Tale of Two Cities Disco Era Bushwick (Bizarre Publishing 2014) and Purgatory & Paradise SASSY ’70s Suburbia & The City.
Meryl Meisler is author of two internationally acclaimed photography books A Tale of Two Cities Disco Era Bushwick (Bizarre Publishing 2014) and Purgatory & Paradise SASSY ’70s Suburbia & The City.
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