Soulful portraits of today’s young New Yorkers
- Text by HUCK HQ
- Photography by Marie Tomanova
When Czech photographer Marie Tomanova first came to New York six years ago, she fell in love with the city. Swept away by its vibrant spirit and diversity, she decided that she would do whatever she could to make it her home.
Armed with just her camera, Tomanova slowly began to make a living from her portrait work – building up, in the process, a community of like-minded young creatives who had converged in New York from all corners of the world.
“As a person who came to US and didn’t know a single person here, photography really was, and still is, very precious to me,” she explains. “Photography helped me overcome my shyness of meeting strangers and my anxiety and doubting of myself.”
Tash
Alannah
For Tomanovac, photography became a way to connect with people. Her portraits – which are direct, raw and soulful – give an insight into the lives of her friends, and pay tribute to the diversity of modern metropolitan America. They urge viewers to stop problematising the idea of being young in the US, and to instead celebrate the dreams, hopes and opportunities that still exist in the country.
The images – which make up a series called Young Americans – are currently on display at New York’s Czech Center, where they will be exhibited until August 10.
“I love NYC,” Tomanova adds. “I love that it is way more than what I imagined. It is a place where I found amazing art community and had the honour to meet and photograph so many wonderful people. It is a special place that inspires me every day.”
Britney
Kate & Odie
Ryan
Alton
Oren
Matthew
Elyanna
Amelia
Quay Dash
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Exploring girlhood and land ancestry in Sudan’s cotton fields
Cotton Queen – A new feature debut from filmmaker Suzannah Mirghani explores the legacy of colonialism and the fight for self-determination through the tender eyes of a teenage girl.
Written by: Roxana Diba
Portraits of gay bears through a rooftop hatch
Big Boys On My Roof™ — Growing up, Anthony Stockdale struggled with his love for bigger men. His new photo series celebrates the bear community.
Written by: Anthony Stockdale
In photos: Lives of solitude at the world’s edge
Coirón — Pie Aerts’s new photobook documents years spent in close quarters with puesteros in Patagonia – a group of aging gauchos who live almost completely isolated existences.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The raw, fledgling intimacy of Peter Hujar’s contact sheets
Hujar:Contact — A new photobook highlights the process of the legendary queer photographer, and his process of growing into the artist he ultimately became.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Jesse Glazzard’s messy portrait of queer friends, lovers and chosen family
The Sound of Dirt and Beauty — The photographer’s debut monograph explores tender, unpolished moments shaped by the people who he surrounds himself with, while offering a window into the UK’s working-class LGBTQ+ community.
Written by: Sunny Sunday
Behind the curtain at Alternative Miss World 1981
Olympia glamour — Running a subversive take on the traditional beauty pageant, the Andrew Logan organised event prioritised underground creativity and invention. Photographer David Corio went behind the scenes at its biggest edition.
Written by: Miss Rosen
