“Hoax” is part of a series of cycloramas that invite viewers to step directly into moments of profound cultural and historical significance—to feel, to connect with moments that have shaped our collective experience—from the Women’s March on Washington to a family’s tender connection at the US-Mexico border, from the site of Michael Brown’s death to the devastated streets of Ukraine. It was first exhibited at the 2025 Spring / Break Art Show and is discussed by Sarah Cascone in Artnet.
The Guardian published “Climate Change Is Real,” a dozen photographs I shot over 4 days in the Altadena neighborhood of Los Angeles at the end of January 2025, a few days before the fires were cully contained.
Scientists are reporting that climate change made the wildfires much worse, contributing to reduced rainfall, dried out vegetation and stronger winds, made them so intense and destructive. The Eaton Fire on Altadena started on January 7th and was not fully contained until January 31st. 100,000 people were evacuated, 18 died, 9,418 buildings were destroyed and it is estimated that it will cost between $3 and $12 billion to rebuild.
Donald Trump has called climate change “nonexistent,” “mythical,” “a total con job” and “an expensive hoax.” He has withdrawn the US from the Paris Agreement, challenge state climate laws, rolled back environmental protections and pushed for increased fossil fuel production.
A cyclorama about the War in Ukraine, installed at Satellite Ranch at SxSW, in collaboration with Liberty Ukraine.
This makes me feel old in a good way! 50 years later our 16mm film was just published by NY Time as part of their new “Encore” series on Op-Docs.
Steven Siegel and I made it when we were 17 year old high school students. What an adventure to row a small boat to the then-abandoned island and explore. We were members of the Young Filmmakers Foundation’s Film Club located on the Lower East Side, around the corner from where the New Museum is now located. A much different neighborhood then!
That same rowboat is now part of the exhibit of my photos of the islands of New York at Front Room Gallery in Hudson New York that will run through June 23rd.
Watch the film on the NY Times website with this free link.
Information on the show at Front Room Gallery here.
The PBS series “State of the Arts” produced a segment about Steve Siegel and my adventure rowing a small boat out to Ellis Island in 1974 to make a 16mm documentary film. We were 17 and still in high school when we made the film, and we returned in April, 50 years later, to reminisce.
View the State of the Arts program here.
View the original film on the NY Times Op-Docs website here.
Steve and my thanks to the producer of State of the Arts, Susan Wallner.
In the 70s and 80s my filmmaking partner Steve Siegel and I made a couple of films around New York City and some of it is appearing in their music videos and stage show. The opening shot to this music video was a time-lapse tracking shot through the abandoned rail yards of Jersey City that are now Liberty State Park.
I found myself on a Metrocard in May that is promoting the band Vampire Weekend’s new album and tour. The photo was taken in the 1980s by my friend Steve Siegel while we were exploring a scrap yard in Bayonne, New Jersey, where graffiti-covered subway cars were lined up waiting to be scrapped.
