by VII
April 4 – May 1, 2014
Brookfield Place Winter Garden
220 Vesey Street, New York, NY
Commissioned by Arts Brookfield, SMILE! A Photo Anthology by VII showcases work exploring the complexities of a seemingly simple emotion. SMILE! takes visitors on a visual global journey – from a joyous celebration marking the end of hostilities in Kosovo to fans rocking out at a Justin Bieber concert in Switzerland. The images in this collection were selected by VII members Ed Kashi and Ron Haviv, culled from work produced over a 30-year span. “As individual photojournalists, we often frown upon the smiles in our photographs” said photojournalist and member of VII Ed Kashi. “And yet, shown together as a group, these smile photographs reveal the astonishing range of human behavior.”
Guests at SMILE! are encouraged to not only explore the universality of a smile but to share one of their own. Visitors – as well as remote fans – can submit a personal smile photo via Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #sharemysmile and answering the prompt “Why do you smile?” In addition to guest photos being added to the gallery on-site (and online at ArtsBrookfield.com), VII photographers Ron Haviv and Ed Kashi will choose their favorite image to win a signed copy of Questions Without Answers: The World in Pictures by the Photographers of VII.
Visitors to the exhibition are also invited to join the artists featured in SMILE! and participate in Art Set Free, the global arts showcase that Arts Brookfield launched in October 2013 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Art Set Free offers the opportunity for artists of any level anywhere to have their work presented to an international audience on ArtsBrookfield25.com and at Brookfield’s premier office properties in New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Houston, Toronto, Perth and Sydney. To participate in Art Set Free, artists capture their work in a photo, video or audio recording; and then share it on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram with the hashtag #artsetfree. Follow Arts Brookfield on social media via @ArtsBrookfield and follow Brookfield Place NY via @BrookfieldPLNY.
