Meryl Meisler’s new book, “A Tale of Two Cities: Disco Era Bushwick” documents Bushwick Brooklyn during the late 1970s and early 1980s through street photography. Meryl’s work tells the tale of a revolutionary disco nightlife culture in some of New York’s most exclusive clubs with a medium format camera. Her photos of the city’s disco fever sharply contrast her shots that reveal a city on the verge of bankruptcy with rising crime rates and drug epidimics. As Dickens would say, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”.
Meryl’s street photos captured a unique time period and resilient people who loved and thrived in a neighborhood rife with poverty and struggles. In her book, these compelling photos, which are considered the largest known documentation of Bushwick during a desperate decade, are complimented by writing from authors who grew up in the neighborhood.
Her book launch and an exhibition of her photos will take place May 30 from 7pm to 4am at Bizarre Bushwick, where she will reveal disco photos that have never been shown before. Performances, DJs, and more will follow the exhibition.