‘Created in Brooklyn’ photo exhibition at BPL profiles Brooklyn’s best and brightest

Photos by Duchaine Feature Brooklynites of Past 20 Years

June 10, 2013 From Brooklyn Public Library

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A new exhibition by photographer Randy Duchaine, which will open on June 13 at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Dweck Center at the Central Branch at Grand Army Plaza, profiles more than 90 prominent, unique and interesting Brooklynites from the last 20 years.

Titled “Created in Brooklyn,” the photos feature a diverse group of Brooklyn’s best and brightest, from artists and architects to entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Those featured in “Created in Brooklyn” include:

SCRATCHBread’s Matthew Tilden: part restaurant, part food stand, part culinary science lab, SCRATCHBread has taken Brooklyn’s food scene by storm – especially its famed egg sandwich.
Sixpoint Brewery’s Shane Welch, representing a microbrew born – and brewed – in Red Hook, Brooklyn since 2004.
Antique Vehicle Collector Lenny Shiller: This real-estate executive and president of the Antique Auto Associate of Brooklyn keeps 58 cars in a 12,300-square-foot garage near his home. He’s depicted riding in the oldest seltzer truck in New York.
nARCHITECTS’ Mimi Hoang and Eric Bunge: Their emerging, internationally recognized practice’s work includes the design of the Wyckoff House Museum in Brooklyn and Pierscape at Chicago’s Navy Pier.
Brooklyn Robot Works’ Peter Kokos: Peter creates living sculptures, life-sized depictions of your favorite characters in fully functional costume form for live performances.
Freelancers Union’s Sara Horowitz: Brooklyn’s own Horowitz is founder of the 200,000-member Freelancer’s Union, and was recently named to the Board of Directors at the Federal Reserve Bank of NY.

“Brooklyn’s unique characters and home-grown success stories are what make this borough great. We love how Randy has depicted each person in his or her element, and how he shows their stories not with words, as a library is accustomed to, but through the power of photography,” said Barbara Wing, manager of exhibitions at Brooklyn Public Library. “We look forward to welcoming our patrons to the exhibition to learn about Brooklyn’s rich history through the people who drive it forward.”

For more than 30 years, photographer Randy Duchaine has told people’s and organizations’ stories through portraits. Whether it be the story of how a company improves its customers’ lives or the story of a family’s pride in a business handed down for generations, Duchaine’s stories have raised desperately needed funds, motivated people to take action, and provided a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how things happen.

His images have been collected by corporations and are in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Public Library Archives.

“My photographs represent a diversity of people in Brooklyn who make or create unique experiences,” said Duchaine. “People come here to live their dreams, express themselves, start a business and contribute to society through their talents. They represent the spirit of America, a sense of independence and the ability to stand on their own two feet and proudly say, ‘This is what it means to be an American in Brooklyn!’”

The opening reception will be held on June 13 at 6 p.m. in the Dweck Center Lobby’s Lower Level, and will include brief remarks from the photographer.

Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States, with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers.