History Now

History Now, by Washington Heights artist, Rose Deler, features a selection of large-format, black and white film portraits depicting the residents and architecture of one of New York’s most historic – and unexplored – neighborhoods, the Jumel Historic District in Washington Heights.

History Now features twenty photographs, fifteen contemporary digitally-printed portraits taken using 4” x 5” and Roliflex medium format film cameras and select photographs from a family photo album dating from 1901 of the Ettlinger Family, who lived on 162nd Street. In executing this project, Deler was inspired by the neighborhood’s rich history as a residential area and she began reflecting on the numerous families who have lived here since the Ettlinger’s time. Deler states: “History Now is my preservationist effort. In one hundred years, we will be the faces of our neighborhood’s past.” The artist hopes that the images will resonate with New Yorkers and represent the timelessness of the city and its neighborhoods.

View the Virtual Parlor Chat: History Now Project – An Artist Talk with Rose Deler.