Brandon Stanton's "Dear New York" Takes Over Grand Central in a Monumental Tribute to Humanity | stupidDOPE | Est. 2008

"When photographer and storyteller Brandon Stanton began Humans of New York in 2010, he could hardly have imagined that a simple idea - capturing portraits of strangers on the streets of New York and sharing their stories - would evolve into one of the most beloved social documentary projects in the world. Over fifteen years, Stanton's photographs have chronicled the city's raw, unfiltered humanity - its humor, heartbreak, resilience, and hope."

"The installation, which debuted earlier this month, marks the first time in recent memory that Grand Central's advertising spaces have been completely replaced by art. Fifty-foot portraits illuminate the Main Concourse, while the underground passageways are lined with smaller photographs and personal quotes, all drawn from Stanton's vast archive. For millions of commuters and tourists, the familiar rush of the terminal has been momentarily replaced by something entirely different - quiet moments of reflection, connection, and empathy."

"Since launching Humans of New York (HONY), Stanton has photographed more than 10,000 people across all five boroughs, each accompanied by short, often profound snippets of their lives. His ability to capture intimacy in the most public spaces has redefined modern storytelling. What began as a humble blog has grown into a global phenomenon, spawning books, charitable initiatives, and a social media following that stretches well beyond 30 million people."

Brandon Stanton built Humans of New York by photographing over 10,000 New Yorkers and recording concise, candid snippets of their lives. The Dear New York exhibition installs hundreds of those portraits and quotes throughout Grand Central Terminal, replacing advertising with fifty-foot portraits in the Main Concourse and smaller images and personal quotes in passageways. The installation shifts daily transit into moments of reflection, connection, and empathy for commuters and tourists. The project emphasizes the city's humor, heartbreak, resilience, and hope while returning storytelling to the physical urban landscape rather than a digital feed.

Read at stupidDOPE | Est. 2008