The mobile portrait studio travels across the city throughout the year creating free portraits of citizens like you! Imagine Newark’s future residents being able to revisit these portraits in 2026, 2066, or in 2166, when the descendants of this year’s subjects can access the images – the same way we wonder about the lives of the people whose images we have from the 19th-20th centuries…

One of the most fundamental attributes of photographic portrait art is accessibility, and the way it gains meaning continuously over time. We love to look. We love to be seen. All of us. And we love to look back, and think about how we dreamed of the future. After your portrait is taken you will be able to download a high resolution file of the image that can be shared and printed as you wish. Portrait images will be added to aferro.org as they are made, to be shared with the city and the world.

Portrait days, the dates and locations of which will be publicized via social media, posted on aferro.org, and announced on Gallery Aferro’s email list, with the possibility of additional “popup” days based on public requests. Gallery Aferro is working to identify sites and community partners in every neighborhood!

Upcoming dates and locations:

June 17: Vibes After Dark Night Market, 317 Mt. Pleasant Avenue
July 9: Zinefest with the Bettyz and Gallery Aferro, at 85 Market Street
July 30: Lincoln Park Music Festival
August 6: Newark Riverfront Revival’s Dance Newark, Newark Riverfront Park

The 350 portraits will be exhibited during October 2016 with a fun and exciting launch reception for everyone. After that, the portraits of Newarkers will belong to the city of Newark in perpetuity, available for traveling exhibits, or simply to be held in the palm of someone’s hand on a phone screen as they tell friends about the day their portrait was made: That’s me! Look!