About this Event
"Civics", the new book by photographer William Meyers, offers a sweeping 25-year visual record of New York City as a microcosm of America, capturing the everyday acts of civic engagement, public service, and neighborly support that sustain the democratic fabric of the nation. Its release this summer coincides with the United States’ 250th anniversary, offering a timely reflection at shared civic life in the context of heightened political and social tensions.
Throughout the collection, Meyers turns his lens on the streets, neighborhoods, offices, and public spaces of New York, his photographs honoring the energy, diversity, and variety of perspectives that define New York and offering a broad, empathetic view of how citizens engage with one another and their communities.
Structured around seven thematic chapters, Elections, Governance, Demonstrations, Press, Talk, Social Capital, and Civic Markers, this book captures the full spectrum of engagement, from formal political processes and public service to volunteer work, protests, charitable acts, and neighborhood interactions, revealing the quiet, everyday labor that keeps democracy alive.
Accompanied by an afterword from journalist Nicole Gelinas, which situates the photographs within the wider context of urban policy and civic engagement, "Civics" is a visually striking and deeply human celebration of the ordinary acts that sustain democratic life.
“'Civics' is a visual primer about not only the practice of citizenship but the art of being an American”. Brian T. Allen, Art Critic
William Meyers is a New York-based photographer and writer whose work explores the city's neighborhoods, people, and everyday life. His photographs have been exhibited in museums and galleries across the United States and Europe, and he writes about photography for The Wall Street Journal. His first book, Outer Boroughs: New York Beyond Manhattan (Damiani, 2015), is represented in the collection of the New York Public Library. His photographs are also held by the Museum of the City of New York and the New York Historical Society. Meyers has lived in New York City for over fifty years.
Event venue & nearby stays
Camera West - SoHo, 460 West Broadway, New York, United States
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