7 Train photo exhibit nixed over privacy concerns
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
“Faces of The 7 Train,” the
much-awaited street photography
exhibit, has been canceled
by the Queens Public Library,
citing privacy concerns.
On Dec. 7, one week before
the exhibit was to open and
three weeks after the exhibit
was approved, Queens Public
Library Deputy General
Counsel Sara Hausner-Levine
sent an e-mail to the Flushing
Branch Manager, Yang
Zenf, according to media artist
Drew Kerr, who created the
exhibit.
“We don’t feel comfortable
moving forward with this
exhibit, as there are serious
concerns regarding possible
privacy and IP infringement.
If anyone would like to discuss
further, please feel free
to reach out to me,” said Haunser
Levine.
Kerr’s photo exhibit was set
to open Friday, Dec. 14, with a
public reception.
Kerr used his iPhone to
shoot 32 photographs of subway
riders on the 7 train over
the past six years. All of the
photos were shot “in secret”
to create natural and unposed
portraiture.
“Faces of The 7 Train” is a
tribute to Kerr’s favorite subway
line. The project was inspired
by the day-long “World
of The 7 Train” tour conducted
by Queens Borough Historian
Dr. Jack Eichenbaum that
Kerr took several years ago.
“Possible privacy and IP
infringement of street photography
taken in public spaces is
totally wrong, since journalists
and photographers shoot
people in public spaces all the
time,” said Kerr.
Kerr noted a case law Nussenzweig
v. DiCorcia, where
the New York Supreme Court
decided that a photographer
could display, publish, and sell
street photography without
the consent of the subjects of
those photographs.
He also pointed out the
MTA’s Rules of Conduct permitting
photography, which
states that filming or video recording
in any facility or conveyance
is permitted except
that ancillary equipment such
as lights, reflectors or tripods
Kerr used his iPhone to shoot 32 photographs of subway riders on
the 7 train over the past six years. Photo by Drew Kerr
may not be used.
“There is simply no excuse
to prevent showing totally safe
photographic art shot in public
spaces,” Kerr argued. “Journalists
and photographers
shoot holiday season shoppers,
Salvation Army bell ringers in
front of stores, and thousands
filling Times Square to watch
the New Year’s ball drop. Does
Queens Public Library management
know something different
about the first amendment
that nobody else does?”
In response to the Queens
Public Library unexpected
cancellation of the exhibit,
Kerr and a group of supporters
will display parts of his exhibit
in front of the Flushing
Queens Public Library Friday,
Dec. 14, at 41-17 Main St.
Kerr created a new website,
Queens Public Library Censors
Artists, alerting artists
to reconsider working wit the
Queens Public Library in the
future.
The exhibit and reception
are listed in the library’s print
brochure for December 2018.
The exhibit received favorable
preview press coverage one
week before the exhibit was
set to open, according to Kerr.
Kerr is hoping any venue
that appreciates well-done local
street photography would
be willing to host his exhibit,
even if for just one week.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@
cnglocal.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4526.
Queens Library welcomes new board member
BY BILL PARRY
Queens Borough President
Melinda Katz announced
the appointment of
attorney Pauline Healy to
the Queens Library Board
of Trustees Friday.
The Douglaston resident
has served as Director of
Agency Standards of the
Melville, Long Island, office
of the New York Life Insurance
Company since May
2015, where she is responsible
for ensuring the office’s
compliance with the company’s
rules, as well as with
state and federal law.
“Pauline Healy is a
skilled and conscientious
attorney who will be a valuable
addition to the Queens
Library Board,” Katz said.
“Ms. Healy brings with her
a wealth of experience that
will help enhance the governance
and efficacy of our
borough’s beloved library
system.”
Healy joined the New
York Life Insurance Company
in 1996 and worked there
until 2002, when she joined
the AXA Equitable insurance
company.
She returned to New York
Life as a Senior Agency Standards
Consultant in 2012 and
became Director of Agency
Standards in 2015.
“Having spent most of
my life as a Queens resident
and frequent patron of
the Queens Libraries, both
for myself and my daughter,
I’m thankful that Borough
President Katz has
appointed me to the Queens
Library Board of Trustees,”
Healy said.
“I’m committed to using
my legal background and
business and communication
skills to ensure that the
Queens Library is governed
with transparency and fiscal
soundness, so that it may continue
to provide quality service
to the diverse resident
of Queens who rely on their
libraries to provide a vast array
not only of books and other
media, but of educational,
cultural and community programs,”
she added.
Healy has contributed to
the community by serving
as board president and legal
chair of the Douglas Manor
Association from 2012 to 2014.
Her responsibilities in
that position included presiding
over community
meetings, negotiating contracts,
addressing community
concerns, settling legal
disputes and overseeing
the content of the association’s
newsletters and other
publications.
Healy earned a Bachelor’s
degree in psychology
from New York University
in 1987 and a Juris Doctor
degree from the St. John’s
University School of Law in
1993.
After graduating from
law school, Healy worked
for two years as a law clerk
to the Chief Judge of the
United States Court of International
Trade.
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4538.
Borough President Melinda Katz names Douglaston resident
Pauline Healy to the Queens Library Board of Trustees.
Courtesy of Borough Hall
TIMESLEDGER,36 DEC. 14-20, 2018 TIMESLEDGER.COM
link
link
link
link
link