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5 Ways The 'Faces Of New York' Book And Projects Capture The City's Soul

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The concept of the "Faces of New York" is not a singular book, but a powerful, enduring artistic obsession that continues to evolve in the current cultural landscape of late 2025. This fascination with the city's inhabitants—from the quirky to the profound—has birthed several distinct projects, each using a unique artistic lens to capture the soul of Manhattan and its surrounding boroughs. While one project uses vibrant paint to chronicle decades of personal experience, another employs long-term documentary photography to reveal the passage of time, creating a rich tapestry far deeper than simple street portraiture.

The true magic of New York City lies not just in its towering skyscrapers or iconic landmarks, but in the millions of untold stories carried by its residents. This article delves into the most compelling and unique interpretations of the "Faces of New York," highlighting the unique approaches of artists who seek to document the city's most valuable, ephemeral asset: its people.

1. The Artistic Lens: Mariam Touzie's Painted Pages

One of the most visually distinct interpretations of this theme comes from Iranian-American artist, author, illustrator, and poet Mariam Touzie, whose work is compiled in the book *Faces of New York*.

Touzie’s book is not a collection of photographs, but a colorful art book featuring painted pages that portray her personal moments and observations of life in Manhattan. This artistic choice immediately sets her work apart from the more common documentary photography style. Her pieces are a vibrant, subjective chronicle of her experience in the city, spanning a significant period from 1986 to 2019. Rather than capturing a fleeting moment with a camera, Touzie filters the city's energy, its people, and its atmosphere through her own memory and artistic expression, offering an intimate and highly personalized view of the metropolis.

Biography and Artistic Background

  • Name: Mariam Touzie
  • Identity: Iranian-American Artist, Author, Illustrator, and Poet.
  • Education: Holds an M.F.A. from the prestigious School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York (1987) and a B.F.A. from Tehran University (1979).
  • Subject Matter: Her art frequently focuses on New York City, including specific series on Chinatown paintings and New York City Yoga.
  • Professional Work: She has been associated with major entities like Saks Fifth Avenue and Scholastic, highlighting her professional standing in the art and illustration world.
  • Book Focus: *Faces of New York* is a culmination of decades of her life and artistic journey, born on the shoulders of the Alborz Mountain in Tehran and flourishing in the dynamic environment of Manhattan.

Touzie’s approach is a powerful reminder that the "faces" of New York are not just individual portraits, but the cumulative memory and emotional landscape of those who call it home. Her work serves as a colorful, painted memoir of Manhattan life, a stark contrast to the objective lens of a camera.

2. The Documentary Chronicle: Michael Berman's '99 SNAPSHOTS

A second, highly relevant project that captures the passage of time on the faces of New Yorkers is Michael Berman's ongoing documentary work, "'99 SNAPSHOTS." Berman, a New York-based photographer and filmmaker, has been working on this large-scale project since 2017, but its roots go back decades.

The core concept is a fascinating exploration of change and continuity: Berman is on a mission to find and re-photograph over 300 strangers he initially snapped in New York City twenty years prior. This long-term photography project transforms simple street portraiture into a profound study of human life, aging, and the unpredictable nature of personal journeys. The project is an evolving documentary film and photography series, capturing the "then and now" of his subjects.

The Power of Time-Lapse Portraiture

Berman's work is an excellent example of documentary storytelling, specializing in portraits, street, and documentary photography since moving to New York in 1987. The re-photographing process, which often involves emotional reunions and candid interviews, reveals the honesty and struggles of New Yorkers over two decades. The project captures not just the physical changes in the faces, but the emotional weight of their life experiences—from joy and success to hardship and tears. This focus on the 20-year time gap provides a unique, fresh perspective on the "faces" theme, emphasizing the enduring human spirit against the backdrop of an ever-changing city.

The project, which is often showcased in exhibitions and as a documentary film, encapsulates the true meaning of a long-term artistic commitment to a city's people. It is a powerful, ongoing chronicle of real New York lives.

3. The Global Phenomenon: Contrasting HONY's Street Storytelling

No discussion of New York's portraiture projects is complete without acknowledging the global impact of Brandon Stanton's *Humans of New York* (HONY). While not the same as Touzie's or Berman's projects, HONY is the dominant entity in the space and serves as a crucial point of contrast, highlighting the diversity of approaches in capturing the city's essence.

HONY, which began in 2010, is a storytelling platform with over thirty million followers and has resulted in multiple #1 *New York Times* Bestsellers, including *Humans of New York: Stories* and the more recent *Dear New York*. Stanton's method is distinct: he pairs stunning, often close-up street photographs with intimate, life-affirming stories collected through brief, candid interviews with strangers.

Three Distinct Artistic Approaches to NYC

The contrast between these three projects—Touzie, Berman, and Stanton—reveals the depth of the "Faces of New York" as a topical authority:

  1. Mariam Touzie: The Painter's Memoir (Subjective & Reflective)
    • Medium: Painted Illustrations/Art Book.
    • Timeframe: 1986–2019 (A 33-year personal history).
    • Focus: Her emotional and visual experience of Manhattan life.
  2. Michael Berman: The Documentarian's Time-Lapse (Objective & Longitudinal)
    • Medium: Photography and Documentary Film.
    • Timeframe: 20-year gap (Revisiting subjects from the late '90s).
    • Focus: The impact of time on individual lives and stories.
  3. Brandon Stanton: The Storyteller's Snapshot (Candid & Immediate)
    • Medium: Street Photography and Short-Form Interviews.
    • Timeframe: Immediate, fleeting moments.
    • Focus: Sharing the diverse, universal human stories found on the streets of NYC.

Each method—the subjective color of an Iranian-American artist, the rigorous long-term study of a documentary photographer, and the viral candidness of a global storyteller—contributes a vital layer to the ongoing chronicle of New York City. The collective work of these artists ensures that the faces of the city, in all their complexity and beauty, will continue to be documented for future generations.

5 Ways the 'Faces of New York' Book and Projects Capture the City's Soul
book faces of new york
book faces of new york

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