August 29, 2008 marked the third anniversary of the horror that Hurricane Katrina inflicted upon the north-central Gulf Coast. Its devastation is a wound not yet healed and its survivors are the subject of Brooklyn-born Joseph Rodriguez’s fourth powerHouse Book, “Still Here: Stories After Katrina.” In it, he documents the ongoing expressions of hope, perseverance, and suffering in the affected communities.
Rodriguez will present a slide show of images from the book at 7:30 p.m., October 2 at the powerhouse Area, 37 Main Street between Front & Water streets. He will speak of his experiences while photographing and interviewing families and individuals throughout New Orleans and Texas.
Like the photographers who worked with the Farm Security Administration during the Great Depression, Rodríguez’s work alerts readers to the ongoing pressures faced by some of the country’s most distressed and vulnerable people.
His black-and-white photographs remind the viewer that despite the loss of home, community, and culture, so many continue to push forward, and are “still here.”
“Nearly three years since the mass exodus that followed Hurricane Katrina, well over 100,000 people have not returned to New Orleans,” says Rodríguez. “My photographs document their story and capture the everyday realities in still-devastated communities.”
To RSVP for this event, call 718-666-3049 or email rsvp@powerhousearena.com.
