“In her new book of rigorously dreamy photographs taken over thirty-five years, Sophie Fenwick, charts New York’s omnipresent waterfront as a harbor, both working and abandoned, a spiritual site, a terminus, a border, and, most especially, a haunting memory. Her book is an epiphany.”
–Laurence Kardish, former Senior Curator, Department of Film,
The Museum of Modern Art
Brooklyn Tides: Excerpts from New York Waterfront Diary is a solo exhibition by Brooklyn-based photographer Sophie Fenwick. Curated by Pam Wong, the exhibit showcases photographs of various Brooklyn waterfront neighborhoods culled from the artist’s book New York Waterfront Diary, published by 5 Continents Editions in 2023.
The 19 photographs on view feature the northwestern Brooklyn neighborhoods of Gowanus, Sunset Park, Red Hook, DUMBO, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard — where views of waterways conjure memories and inspire dreams. Some photos feature derelict buildings found in these waterfront locales, highlighting the beauty and mystery in decay. In haunting black-and-white and vivid color, the images serve as an unofficial timeline, showing these neighborhoods over the years, from the 1990s to just before the pandemic.
Fenwick’s evocative portraits demonstrate how these areas of Brooklyn have transformed over three decades. The images of Gowanus are especially timely as the neighborhood undergoes unprecedented change — with longtime locals no longer recognizing the surrounding streets, and new residents moving into rapidly rising luxury buildings. The photos shot prior to the 2021 Gowanus rezoning preserve the industrial grit and quirkiness that made the neighborhood unique and beloved.
CITY OF WATER DAY | SPECIAL SCREENING
To celebrate City of Water Day on July 25, Fenwick presented a special screening of a 30-minute film along with her photo works. The Super 8 footage, shot by Fenwick and edited with Maya Han, is an extension of the artist’s book and exhibition, highlighting many of the sites seen in both. The film features excerpts of footage Fenwick shot along New York City waterfront neighborhoods in the early1990s. This body of work pays tribute to NYC’s maritime history.
The film was shown on a loop throughout the day and accompanied by Brooklyn-based musician and composer Leslie Braver (The Fish Queen of the Gowanus Canal) from 2:00 to 4:00pm.
The Gowanus Dredgers also hosted free walk-up paddling from 3:00 to 7:00pm.
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Born in Manhattan, Fenwick spent part of her childhood in France and returned to New York at the age of nine. She moved to Brooklyn in her early 20s and began photographing the waterfront, often documenting abandoned, deteriorating structures. Fenwick studied photography at Parsons in Paris and the International Center of Photography in NYC. She has worked as a film curator and has exhibited her work at various venues including Victoire Schlumberger (Paris) and Philippe Briet Gallery (NYC), Thread Waxing Space, the Museum of the City of New York, the Seamen’s Church Institute, and the Brooklyn Public Library. Learn more at: https://linktr.ee/sophiefenwick
ABOUT NEW YORK WATERFRONT DIARY:
A chronicle of the ever-changing New York City waterfront, New York Waterfront Diary features nearly 200 images from Fenwick’s archives, including gelatin silver prints, color slides, stills from Super 8 film footage, and digital photos. The book is a personal meditation on New York City’s coastlines, incorporating poems — or “nocturnal daydreams” — the artist wrote in the spring of 2020 when her father passed away and Fenwick was unable to travel to France to see him during the Covid-19 lockdown. Juxtaposed with the photographs, her personal reflections infuse the images with emotion. Fenwick collaborated with Lev Zeitlin of Red Square Design on the layout of New York Waterfront Diary. Along with developing the book’s scrapbook-like design, Zeitlin also came up with the title. For more info, visit fivecontinentseditions.com/en/p/new-york-waterfront-diary/
The 2026 arts programming at the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse is made possible in part by the Brooklyn Arts Council’s Local Arts Support Grant.
