In his solo debut Hard Feelings at the Camera Club of New York’s BAXTER ST, Dean Majd presents photographs that each encompass a world of their own. This exhibition traces the 10-year journey following the death of Majd’s childhood friend, James, with James’s community of skateboarders and graffiti artists at the heart of the display. Majd’s work suggests that life and death are interconnected, with light softening the harshest shadows.
After James’s passing, Majd developed close ties with his friend’s group in Queens. Over a decade, he documented their shared experiences and challenges within the skateboarding and graffiti culture, including the risks of their night-time activities. In “wiza bombing” (2021), police lights cast a threatening presence, while “coffee table at 21-41” (2017) hints at substance misuse in a post-party scene.
Majd also addresses the societal expectations of masculinity and its impact. “break bad (freddy flexing)” (2021) portrays a man’s attempt to demonstrate strength, revealing vulnerability instead. Meanwhile, “ivan crying in my bedroom” (2021) juxtaposes a traditionally masculine man in emotional distress. This work is displayed alongside “rissa (battered)” (2021), the exhibit’s sole female portrait, where Rissa’s direct gaze, marked by a black eye, challenges the culture of violence perpetuated by emotional repression in men.
While the exhibition focuses on personal narratives, it also subtly reflects Majd’s Palestinian American heritage. In “dallas (phoenix ash)” (2021), an Egyptian man in a contemplative moment in front of a mirror becomes a surrealist representation of broader socio-political issues, including state violence’s effect on Arab communities. This image, like Rissa’s, compels viewers to recognize their role in these harmful systems.
The emotional depth in Hard Feelings stems from the trust Majd built with his subjects, capturing intimate moments with those he considers family. At the exhibition’s opening in February, friends presented Majd with flowers, which were later arranged beneath the show’s final piece—a portrait of Suba, a close friend who died from an accidental overdose in 2020. By late March, the flowers had wilted, yet retained their beauty. Above them, Suba’s vibrant smile endures, conveying life even in death.
Hard Feelings remains on display at BAXTER ST at the Camera Club of New York (154 Ludlow Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan) until April 8. Marley Trigg Stewart curated the exhibition.
