Artist Biography:
Rob Stephenson is a fine art photographer living in Brooklyn, New York. His work has been exhibited at various venues including The Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Jen Bekman Gallery, The Lehman College Art Gallery, The Museum of the City of New York and the Coconino Center for the Arts. He is the recipient of the 2011 Photo Urbanism Fellowship from the Design Trust for Public Space.
Statement:
In 1917 the Mayor ’s Committee on Food Gardens issued a report documenting the creation of nearly 12,000 gardens and 1,120 acres of large plots dedicated to growing vegetables in New York City. Nearly one hundred years later, many New Yorkers have no access to fresh produce and those that do often eat food that has traveled hundreds if not thousands of miles. Economic, social and environmental concerns have fueled a revival of urban agricultural in the city.
This work is an effort to create a comprehensive visual document of the different approaches to implementing a sustainable food system in New York City. This ongoing project will look at all forms of urban agriculture including community gardens, rooftop farms, greenhouses and aquaculture.
Artist Website: www.robstephenson.com