The Brooklynites

Since moving to the Big Apple over eight years ago I've lived almost exclusively in Brooklyn, and as far as I'm concerned it's the only borough that matters. There's something about commuting into Manhattan five days a week that makes you appreciate the slower pace and (relatively speaking) wide open spaces of Kings County. A community exists here that's different from everything around it. It's a diverse mix of both longtime locals and new transplants. It's hip and happening, with its local arts scene, nightlife and great restaurants, but (other than the obvious exception of Williamsburg) people aren't pretending to be something they're not. Above all, Brooklyn is a place that feels like home for nearly 2.5 million Manhattan refugees.

Photographer Seth Kushner and writer/editor/curator Anthony LaSala set about several years ago to capture the indomitable spirit of Brooklyn, and their new book, titled The Brooklynites (powerHouse Books), is the culmination of their hard work.

The two photographed and interviewed hundreds of Brooklynites for the project, surveying the borough's famous (writer Paul Auster, actors Rosie Perez and Steve Buscemi), its politicos (borough president Marty Markowitz) and dozens of ordinary citizens. Shot in their own environments with stories told in their own words, the Brooklynites depicted in the book come alive to reveal the essence of this fine city/borough/way of life

Tonight, the powerHouse Arena is hosting an artists' reception for The Brooklynites which will include not just photos from the book but a wide-ranging exhibition LaSala curated with photos of Brooklyn taken by some of the city's most talented photographers. In addition to Kushner's photos, work will be shown by Atif Ateeq, Einat Bar, Jimi Billingsly, Andrea Chu, Brian Finke, Leonard Freed, Robert Goldstrom, Marlon Gonzalez, Miana Grafals, Katja Heinemann, Vincent LaForet, David Leventi, Esther Levine, Amanda Marsalis, Erica McDonald, Greg Miller, David Nicolas, Richard Renaldi, Thomas Roma, Ferdinando Scianna, Jonathan Smith, Harvey Stein, Alex Webb, and Brica Wilcox. Other artists include painter Robert Goldstrom, illustrator John Setzen, cartoonists and Dean Haspiel and mixed medium artist Kenan Juska.

The Artists' Reception takes place Thursday, September 20, from  6:00-9:00 pm. at the powerHouse Arena, which is located at 37 Main Street in DUMBO Brooklyn near the 47-50 Streets - Rockefeller Center station on the F line.

If you can't make it, fuhgeddaboudit! The show will be up through Sept. 30.