Editor’s Note:
Ever since the pandemic has gripped us in its claws, I’ve been intrigued by how creatives have been responding to it, especially photographers. When Juan Carlos (stylised as JUANKR) showed me his work, I knew I had to share it with the world. His photographs of an empty 6th Avenue in New York City—one of the liveliest places in the world—during the COVID-19 lockdown, are eerie and evocative of an impending apocalypse. They truly impress upon you the gravity of our new normal.
The piece was graciously coordinated by Carlina Conrad.
Hassan Tahir Latif
Sleepless on Sixth Avenue: A Photo Essay
JUANKR
I wake up to the chirping of birds now. The streets are empty; I don’t hear the usual fights on 14th Street—it doesn’t feel like New York anymore. But the core energy of the city is still there—I can still sense it—driving us to continue to fight, to adhere to the rules in the hope that this nightmare will be over soon and the city that never slept will wake up again.
JUANKR is a full-time photographer based in New York City. He always knew that the cinema, photography and art were a really important part of his life. That’s why, after working for several multinational companies, he decided to follow his passion—leaving all behind and dedicating his life to sharing his cinematographic and artistic perspective. He received his master’s in photography at EFIC in Barcelona and then moved to New York City to finalise his studies with an MPS in fashion photography from SVA with the director of the master’s program, Jimmy Moffat. He has (and continues to) collaborated with esteemed publications around the world, including Harper’s Bazaar USA, Vogue, Número, Vanity Fair, Esquire and Forbes. At the same time, he is involved in sharing his vision with renowned brands, such as Dior, Cartier, Carolina Herrera, Nike, Hugo Boss, D&G, Bruno Magli, Jeffrey Dodd and Judith Ripka. JUANKR’s work was also featured in The Aleph Review, Vol. 3.