Photoville is honored to have been a partner in bringing the community exhibition Bronx River’s Legacy, Brick by Brick: Where Our Stories Were Born to life. Commemorating the Bronx River Houses 75th anniversary, this permanent installation located in the lobby of the community center celebrates the lived experiences of past and present residents and the strong community and cultural influence that spans generations. Bronx River Houses, the Public Housing Community Fund, and Children’s Art and Science Workshops were thoughtful partners who reflect what we value most: a deep commitment to community, a shared belief in the power of public art, and a respect for history and the process required to fully and authentically reflect a place and its people. We look forward to this exhibition being enjoyed by residents and community members for years to come.

Bronx River’s Legacy, Brick by Brick: Where Our Stories Were Born brings together a rare collection of resident-sourced photographs, lovingly preserved over decades by Bronx River Houses Resident Association President, Norma Saunders. Many taken by Wade Lewis, a former resident of Bronx River Houses and unknown community photographers, these images offer an intimate, unfiltered look at daily life within one of the most culturally influential public housing communities in the world.

Captured in living rooms, hallways, parks, community centers, and more, these candid moments reveal how residents used both shared public spaces and their own homes to build identity, belonging, and kinship. Music, fashion, dance, sports, joy, tenderness—every frame reflects a community creating culture in real time.

Presented during the 75th anniversary of Bronx River Houses, this exhibition invites visitors to revisit the archives and reconnect with what has always existed here: a deep, generational love for its people and a legacy of creativity whose impact extends far beyond the Bronx. These images are reminders of where we come from—and visions of what remains possible for our future.