Michael Mazzeo Gallery is pleased to announce a special presentation of recent photographs by the American photographer, journalist, and social documentarian, Will Steacy. The 50 8×10 inch color prints will be on view for 48 hours only from April 28 to April 30 and will be accompanied by an installation of artifacts and ephemera relating to the project. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, April 28, from 6-8 PM and a gallery talk by the artist on Saturday, April 30 at 3 PM.

Deeply moved by headlines decrying the perils facing the nation, Steacy, a former union laborer, packed his view camera and drove to Madison, Wisconsin to witness the heated confrontation between union workers and Governor Scott Walker. He spent 24 hours that night and the following day photographing events as they unfolded inside and around the capitol building, as the Governor prepared to sign the notorious bill restricting collective bargaining rights for union workers. Shortly afterwards, Steacy drove to Gary, Indiana, home to the first US Steel plant, and a city whose rise and fall has become a symbol of the plight of the American workforce. He photographed up and down Broadway, Gary’s main artery, documenting city institutions and local businesses, revealing the grim challenges that now face this once-vibrant city.

Photographed in 48 hours, Steacy’s understated, quietly seductive images reveal an undercurrent of catastrophic anxiety enveloping the American psyche while pointedly exposing the harsh realities of a nation torn apart by misguided government policies and corporate greed. An outspoken critic of inequality and injustice, Will Steacy’s images, insightful, confrontational, and elegant, offer hope and renewal to a nation divided.

Mr. Steacy is honored to dedicate this exhibition to his mentor, Charles Gandee, 1953-2011.