NEW YORK, NEW YORK

JEFF ROTHSTEIN

//Jeff grew up in Brooklyn and is now living in Manhattan. He has been photographing the streets of New York City since the 1970s and has quite a few great catches to show for it. For Spectaculum Magazine, he put together a series of images focused on all the artists that can often be observed in that vibrant city.

“Wandering the streets with my cameras, I consider myself an urban observer. I try to capture the city’s environment – structures, signs and, most of all, the fleeting moments of people on the streets that will soon disappear into thin air,” says Jeff.

Over the years, his work has been published in a variety of notable national and international publications. His photobook, Today’s Special: New York City Images 1969-2006, was published in 2017 and is in the collections of many university and institutional libraries. Recent exhibitions include some at the New York Public Library Mulberry St. Branch in 2022, Filter Space, Chicago, Black Box Gallery Online Annex, Portland, Oregon, ImageNation Paris at Galerie Joseph Le Palais, Porec Museum, Croatia, and several other galleries around New York City.

“You can wander around and let the city dictate the script.”

Pete Hamill

What draws you to the arts?

“I’ve been involved in art since I was a child. I had a unique talent for drawing at an early age and wanted to be a cartoonist. I settled on photography as my creative outlet in college and am still going strong more than 50 years later. Experiencing all types of art makes me feel alive. Going to museums, galleries, concerts or listening to music at home is all highly enjoyable for me. My wife is an art historian and we’ve been involved in this world for many years. As far as my own art, well, it’s something that I have to do. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

What do you like best about the pictures from the New York City series you shared with us?

“The memories they invoke of different eras.“

Jeff shared a series of his analog black and white photos that relate to the arts, taken in the streets of New York City between 1971 and 2006. “This period was a great time to be shooting the gritty city, especially the 70s and 80s.. It was also a wonderful time for the arts here in Gotham. The series reflects how this merges during my wanderings. All taken on 35mm cameras and b&w film,” he says. “The quote above is one I like, because it relates to this project and my photography in general.”

Some images may be cropped for layout, clicking on them will show the full image.