PROJECTS
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Picturing X
Picturing X is a community-based photography and storytelling project that empowers residents of urban neighborhoods to document their lives and environments through the use of disposable cameras. Created by photographer and educator Rebecca Marimutu, the project fosters collaboration between local artists, residents, and community organizations to preserve the unique cultural and historical narratives of neighborhoods experiencing rapid gentrification and transformation.
For Rebecca Marimutu, Picturing X is a deeply personal and purposeful project that aligns her artistic practice with her commitment to social justice and community advocacy. Having grown up in a rent-stabilized apartment in Manhattan and witnessing the effects of gentrification firsthand, Rebecca has long been aware of the destabilizing forces that impact marginalized communities. Her lived experiences with housing insecurity and displacement fuel her desire to use art as a tool for empowerment and preservation.
By distributing cameras and facilitating workshops, Picturing X invites participants to visually express their personal and collective stories, creating an archive of imagery that captures the essence of their communities. These images are then developed into exhibitions, publications, or public art installations, offering a platform for underrepresented voices to share their perspectives.
Past iterations of the project, such as Picturing Baltimore, have focused on areas like Seton Hill, bringing together diverse perspectives through photography-centered workshops and public exhibitions. The project emphasizes community engagement and challenges traditional narratives of urban development by giving residents the tools to reclaim and celebrate their own spaces.
Each version of Picturing X is tailored to the specific community it serves, whether it’s Baltimore, BedStuy, or Harlem, with the goal of creating a shared visual language that resists displacement and uplifts the stories of those who call these neighborhoods home.
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