Free Photo Exhibition Lands On East River Esplanade

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A small photo gallery has landed on the East River Esplanade as part of a citywide series, on view for Upper East Siders through November.

Titled "syzygy, the vision," the exhibition consists of a series of self-portraits by artist Lola Flash. It was installed earlier this month at the esplanade's East 96th Street entrance, after being relocated there from East Harlem.

It's part of Photoville NYC, a citywide series of free photo galleries that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with installations across the five boroughs. All are on view until Dec. 1.

Of "syzygy, the vision," Flash wrote that the images observe "the straight-line configuration of our pasts, presents, and futures.

"This multi-dimensional contemplation considers vast dimensions of intersectional disadvantages, cultural conflicts, and unsettling legacies," she wrote. "Heavy on my mind is the horror of America’s mass incarceration and the question of breaking free."

The installation is sponsored by Friends of the East River Esplanade, a nonprofit that has advocated for the preservation of the East Side walkway.

Other galleries on view as part of Photoville include several in Harlem and others in Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Long Island City, and many more locations.