Susannah Ray lives in the Rockaways, a small peninsula on the edge of New York City bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Jamaica Bay, and JFK International Airport. This intersection of city and water is at the heart of her photography and extends her early interest in landscape photography, which she uses as as form of visual geography, rendering the complex interrelationships of place, people, history, and ideology.
Susannah Ray has had museum and gallery solo exhibitions and has been featured and reviewed in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. Born in 1972 in Washington, D.C, she studied photography as an undergraduate at Princeton University and completed her MFA in 1997 at the School of Visual Arts MFA Program in Photography and Related Media.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019
Lipani Gallery, Fordham University, NY, NY, "Right Coast/Messengers: Photographs by Susannah Ray and Kota Sake" (two person)
Works On Water/Underwater New York Project Space, Governor's Island, NY, "Susannah Ray: Selections from Down For the Day"
2017
The Bronx Museum of Art, Bronx, NY, "A Further Shore,"
2016
The Rockaway Beach Surf Club, Rockaway Beach, NY, "Right Coast"
Foyer Gallery, Albright College, Reading, PA, "A Further Shore"
2013
Bonni Benrubi , NY, NY, "What are the Wild Waves Saying" (Photographs by Susannah Ray/Audio by Jen Poyant)
2004
Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts, New York, NY, "We Are Talking Now of Summer Evenings..." (two person)
Selected Group Exhibitions
2018
Gallery Petite, Brooklyn, NY, "Ocean Size"
2015
The Annenberg Center for Photography, Los Angeles, CA, “Sink or Swim Slideshow Night”
2013
The Museum of the City of New York, NY, NY, “Rising Waters”
Alice Austen House, Staten Island, NY, "The New Street Types of New York"
2012
Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ, "The End of the Wild"
2011
Bonni Benrubi Gallery, NY, NY, "Group"
2010
Bonni Benrubi Gallery, NY, NY, "Summer Place"
The Print Center, Philadelphia, PA, "84th International Competition: Photography!"
2009
Kenise Barnes Fine Art, "Sweet Spot"
The Princeton University Museum of the Arts, "Emmet Gowin: A Collective Portrait"
2007
Rockland County Center for the Arts, "Upon Further Review," Nyack, NY
Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts, New York, NY, "Change at Babylon"
The Arsenal Gallery, "The Players" NYC Parks Department Public Art Program,
Central Park, NY, NY, May 2007
2006
The Queens Museum of Art, "The Queens International"
Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts, New York, NY, "Safe"
2005
Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts, New "Citations"
The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY, "Threads and Vines"
2004
The Front Room, "WMD"
2001
The Front Room, "Amanda Alic, Sean Hemmerle, Stuart Hawkins, Susannah Ray "
The Front Room, "79.9MW"
2000
Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, "Precedence: Emmet Gowin "
1997
White Columns, NY, NY, "Blue Lagoon (SVA MFA)"
Monographs, Books, and Exhibition Catalogues
Susannah Ray, New York Waterways, Hoxton Mini Press, London, UK, 2017
Susannah Ray, Right Coast, essays by Sean Corcoran and Joel Patterson, self-published, 2016
Bob Shamis, New York In Color, Abrams Books, New York, 2011
Joel Smith, Emmet Gowin: A Collective Portrait, Princeton University Art Museum, 2009
Selected Bibliography
Underwater New York, Issue 16: Governors Island Unearthed, Spring 2020
Simon, Usborne, “How New Yorkers are rediscovering the waters that surround them,” The Financial Times, December 27, 2019
Underwater New York, Issue 15: The Labor Issue, Fall/Winter 2019
Nicola Moyne, “Immerse Yourself in the New York Waterways,” marieclaire.co.uk.com, June 21, 2019
Aline Smithson, “Susannah Ray: Down For the Day” lenscratch.com, December 18, 2018
Mike Smith, “Review: ‘New York Waterways,” fstoppers.com, March 23, 2018
Peggy Roalf, “Susannah Ray: New York Waterways,” AI-AP.com, February 22, 2018
News 12, "Bronx Waterway Photo Exhibit on Display," January 2, 2018
The Independent, "Coffee Table Choice," London, UK, December 29, 2017
Eoin Murray, “A different take on the city in Susannah Ray’s New York Waterways,” The British Journal of Photography, November 28, 2017
The Times Literary Supplement, “New York Waterways,” London, UK, November 10, 2017
Kelly Gonsalves, “The Inglorious Urban Surf,” The Week.com, May 10, 2017
Ellyn Kail, "A Wistful Look at Rockaway Beach Before Hurricane Sandy," Feature Shoot.com, July 28, 2016
Rachel Pells,"Finding the Right Coast", The Independent, July 28, 2016
Eillie Anzilotti, "Photographing the Rockaways' Surfers Before Hurricane Sandy", Citylab.com, July 27, 2016
Katie Honan, "'Right Coast' Book Pictures Hard-Core Winter Surfers in Pre-Sandy Rockaway", DNAinfo.com, July 22, 2016
Jordan Teicher, "Life Along New York City’s Waterfront," Slate.com, April 5, 2016
John Leland, "Feeling Water's Pull," The New York Times, May 24, 2015
Aline Smithson, "A Further Shore," Lenscratch.com
The Takeaway, WNYC, "Recovery in the Rockaways, A Year After Sandy," October 28, 2013
Kristen Dahlgren, NBC Nightly News, "Photo exhibit marks one year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy," October 24, 2013
Jordan Teicher, "Astounding Personal Shots of Hurricane Sandy," Slate.com, August 29, 2013
“Goings on About Town: Susannah Ray” in The New Yorker, August 26, 2013
William Meyers, “Two Perceptions of American Spirit: Photo Exhibitions of Walker Evans and Susannah Ray,”
The Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2013
Carolyn Weaver, "Documenting the Rockaways in Photographs, Before and After Sandy," Voice of America News, August 16, 2013
David Gonzalez, “Alice Austen’s Type of Town,” NYTimes.com, July 18, 2013
David Schonauer, “Exhibition: Susannah Ray's "Wild Waves," After Sandy,” prophotodaily.com, July 16, 20132012
David Gonzalez, “Recalling the Right Coast before the Storm,” NYTimes.com, November 15, 2012
"Portraits: Artists in Residence," Bronx Museum Artist in the Marketplace Catalogue, 2011
"Portraits: Artists in Residence," Bronx Museum Artist in the Marketplace Catalogue, 2010
"Portraits: Artists in Residence," Bronx Museum Artist in the Marketplace Catalogue 2008-2009, Spring 2009
Jenni Avins, "Own This City," Time Out New York, Issue 702 : Mar 12–18, 2009
Darya Zhuk, "Cold Wave," Snob Magazine, Moscow, Russia, March 2009
Alex Wilson, "Review: Right Coast," Surfer Magazine, February 2009
Sam Haddad, "Editor's Choice: Right Coast" Cooler Magazine, London, UK, February 2009
Martha Schwendener, "Art in Review: The Players," The New York Times, June 15, 2007
"Bronx Portraits," Grand Concourse Magazine, The Bronx Museum of Art, Spring/Summer 2006
Stefan Marti, "Surfing the A Train," Transworld Surf Magazine, July 2006
"Bronx Portraits," Grand Concourse Magazine, The Bronx Museum, Winter 2005
"Bronx Portraits," Grand Concourse Magazine, The Bronx Museum, Fall 2004
Shelley Rice, Madeline Djerejian, Susannah Ray, and Ilana Rein, "On a History of Women Photographers," The Photo Review, Spring 1997
Sharon Katz, "Photographic Expression: Susannah's Domain" in The Creative Arts at Princeton: Vignettes by Students, ed. John McPhee
Collections
The Museum of the City of New York
The Princeton University Museum of the Arts
The Bronx Museum
The Capital Group
The State Department of California
Selected Lectures, Panels, and Artist's Talks
2019
In Conversation: Susannah Ray and Sean Corocoran, Governors Island, NY
Fordham University, Visiting Artist talk
Hofstra University Museum of Art, Opening Remarks: Social Media/Social Context, “Other People’s Parties” exhibition
2018
Governor’s Island, Underwater New York, Artist’s book talk
Alice Austen House, Artist’s book talk
Parson’s MFA Photography, Visiting Artist talk
2017
Hofstra University Museum of Art, Opening Remarks: Seeing and Observing: Warhol and the Legacy of Photography, “Andy Warhol” exhibition
2016
Gallery talk, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
2013
Museum of the City of New York, Artist talk with ICP/The Point
Photoville Panel, “Superstorm Sandy: Photographers Perspectives”
The International Center for Photography, NY, NY, “Slidefest”
Awards
Hofstra University Faculty Research and Development Grant, 2020
Hofstra University Faculty Research and Development Grant, 2019
Hofstra University Faculty Research and Development Grant, 2018
NYFA/Andy Warhol Foundation Emergency Relief Fund, 2012
Nominee, Center Santa Fe Prize for Photography, 2011
Finalist, The Center for Documentary Studies/Honickman Foundation First Book Prize, 2010
Finalist, The Center for Documentary Studies/Honickman Foundation First Book Prize, 2008
The Paula Rhodes Memorial Award, 1997
Education
School of Visual Arts, NY, NY. MFA in Photography and the Related Media, 1995-1997
Princeton University, BA, Visual Arts/Art History major, Environmental Studies minor, 1990-1994
Susannah Ray has had museum and gallery solo exhibitions and has been featured and reviewed in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. Born in 1972 in Washington, D.C, she studied photography as an undergraduate at Princeton University and completed her MFA in 1997 at the School of Visual Arts MFA Program in Photography and Related Media.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019
Lipani Gallery, Fordham University, NY, NY, "Right Coast/Messengers: Photographs by Susannah Ray and Kota Sake" (two person)
Works On Water/Underwater New York Project Space, Governor's Island, NY, "Susannah Ray: Selections from Down For the Day"
2017
The Bronx Museum of Art, Bronx, NY, "A Further Shore,"
2016
The Rockaway Beach Surf Club, Rockaway Beach, NY, "Right Coast"
Foyer Gallery, Albright College, Reading, PA, "A Further Shore"
2013
Bonni Benrubi , NY, NY, "What are the Wild Waves Saying" (Photographs by Susannah Ray/Audio by Jen Poyant)
2004
Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts, New York, NY, "We Are Talking Now of Summer Evenings..." (two person)
Selected Group Exhibitions
2018
Gallery Petite, Brooklyn, NY, "Ocean Size"
2015
The Annenberg Center for Photography, Los Angeles, CA, “Sink or Swim Slideshow Night”
2013
The Museum of the City of New York, NY, NY, “Rising Waters”
Alice Austen House, Staten Island, NY, "The New Street Types of New York"
2012
Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ, "The End of the Wild"
2011
Bonni Benrubi Gallery, NY, NY, "Group"
2010
Bonni Benrubi Gallery, NY, NY, "Summer Place"
The Print Center, Philadelphia, PA, "84th International Competition: Photography!"
2009
Kenise Barnes Fine Art, "Sweet Spot"
The Princeton University Museum of the Arts, "Emmet Gowin: A Collective Portrait"
2007
Rockland County Center for the Arts, "Upon Further Review," Nyack, NY
Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts, New York, NY, "Change at Babylon"
The Arsenal Gallery, "The Players" NYC Parks Department Public Art Program,
Central Park, NY, NY, May 2007
2006
The Queens Museum of Art, "The Queens International"
Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts, New York, NY, "Safe"
2005
Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts, New "Citations"
The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY, "Threads and Vines"
2004
The Front Room, "WMD"
2001
The Front Room, "Amanda Alic, Sean Hemmerle, Stuart Hawkins, Susannah Ray "
The Front Room, "79.9MW"
2000
Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, "Precedence: Emmet Gowin "
1997
White Columns, NY, NY, "Blue Lagoon (SVA MFA)"
Monographs, Books, and Exhibition Catalogues
Susannah Ray, New York Waterways, Hoxton Mini Press, London, UK, 2017
Susannah Ray, Right Coast, essays by Sean Corcoran and Joel Patterson, self-published, 2016
Bob Shamis, New York In Color, Abrams Books, New York, 2011
Joel Smith, Emmet Gowin: A Collective Portrait, Princeton University Art Museum, 2009
Selected Bibliography
Underwater New York, Issue 16: Governors Island Unearthed, Spring 2020
Simon, Usborne, “How New Yorkers are rediscovering the waters that surround them,” The Financial Times, December 27, 2019
Underwater New York, Issue 15: The Labor Issue, Fall/Winter 2019
Nicola Moyne, “Immerse Yourself in the New York Waterways,” marieclaire.co.uk.com, June 21, 2019
Aline Smithson, “Susannah Ray: Down For the Day” lenscratch.com, December 18, 2018
Mike Smith, “Review: ‘New York Waterways,” fstoppers.com, March 23, 2018
Peggy Roalf, “Susannah Ray: New York Waterways,” AI-AP.com, February 22, 2018
News 12, "Bronx Waterway Photo Exhibit on Display," January 2, 2018
The Independent, "Coffee Table Choice," London, UK, December 29, 2017
Eoin Murray, “A different take on the city in Susannah Ray’s New York Waterways,” The British Journal of Photography, November 28, 2017
The Times Literary Supplement, “New York Waterways,” London, UK, November 10, 2017
Kelly Gonsalves, “The Inglorious Urban Surf,” The Week.com, May 10, 2017
Ellyn Kail, "A Wistful Look at Rockaway Beach Before Hurricane Sandy," Feature Shoot.com, July 28, 2016
Rachel Pells,"Finding the Right Coast", The Independent, July 28, 2016
Eillie Anzilotti, "Photographing the Rockaways' Surfers Before Hurricane Sandy", Citylab.com, July 27, 2016
Katie Honan, "'Right Coast' Book Pictures Hard-Core Winter Surfers in Pre-Sandy Rockaway", DNAinfo.com, July 22, 2016
Jordan Teicher, "Life Along New York City’s Waterfront," Slate.com, April 5, 2016
John Leland, "Feeling Water's Pull," The New York Times, May 24, 2015
Aline Smithson, "A Further Shore," Lenscratch.com
The Takeaway, WNYC, "Recovery in the Rockaways, A Year After Sandy," October 28, 2013
Kristen Dahlgren, NBC Nightly News, "Photo exhibit marks one year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy," October 24, 2013
Jordan Teicher, "Astounding Personal Shots of Hurricane Sandy," Slate.com, August 29, 2013
“Goings on About Town: Susannah Ray” in The New Yorker, August 26, 2013
William Meyers, “Two Perceptions of American Spirit: Photo Exhibitions of Walker Evans and Susannah Ray,”
The Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2013
Carolyn Weaver, "Documenting the Rockaways in Photographs, Before and After Sandy," Voice of America News, August 16, 2013
David Gonzalez, “Alice Austen’s Type of Town,” NYTimes.com, July 18, 2013
David Schonauer, “Exhibition: Susannah Ray's "Wild Waves," After Sandy,” prophotodaily.com, July 16, 20132012
David Gonzalez, “Recalling the Right Coast before the Storm,” NYTimes.com, November 15, 2012
"Portraits: Artists in Residence," Bronx Museum Artist in the Marketplace Catalogue, 2011
"Portraits: Artists in Residence," Bronx Museum Artist in the Marketplace Catalogue, 2010
"Portraits: Artists in Residence," Bronx Museum Artist in the Marketplace Catalogue 2008-2009, Spring 2009
Jenni Avins, "Own This City," Time Out New York, Issue 702 : Mar 12–18, 2009
Darya Zhuk, "Cold Wave," Snob Magazine, Moscow, Russia, March 2009
Alex Wilson, "Review: Right Coast," Surfer Magazine, February 2009
Sam Haddad, "Editor's Choice: Right Coast" Cooler Magazine, London, UK, February 2009
Martha Schwendener, "Art in Review: The Players," The New York Times, June 15, 2007
"Bronx Portraits," Grand Concourse Magazine, The Bronx Museum of Art, Spring/Summer 2006
Stefan Marti, "Surfing the A Train," Transworld Surf Magazine, July 2006
"Bronx Portraits," Grand Concourse Magazine, The Bronx Museum, Winter 2005
"Bronx Portraits," Grand Concourse Magazine, The Bronx Museum, Fall 2004
Shelley Rice, Madeline Djerejian, Susannah Ray, and Ilana Rein, "On a History of Women Photographers," The Photo Review, Spring 1997
Sharon Katz, "Photographic Expression: Susannah's Domain" in The Creative Arts at Princeton: Vignettes by Students, ed. John McPhee
Collections
The Museum of the City of New York
The Princeton University Museum of the Arts
The Bronx Museum
The Capital Group
The State Department of California
Selected Lectures, Panels, and Artist's Talks
2019
In Conversation: Susannah Ray and Sean Corocoran, Governors Island, NY
Fordham University, Visiting Artist talk
Hofstra University Museum of Art, Opening Remarks: Social Media/Social Context, “Other People’s Parties” exhibition
2018
Governor’s Island, Underwater New York, Artist’s book talk
Alice Austen House, Artist’s book talk
Parson’s MFA Photography, Visiting Artist talk
2017
Hofstra University Museum of Art, Opening Remarks: Seeing and Observing: Warhol and the Legacy of Photography, “Andy Warhol” exhibition
2016
Gallery talk, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
2013
Museum of the City of New York, Artist talk with ICP/The Point
Photoville Panel, “Superstorm Sandy: Photographers Perspectives”
The International Center for Photography, NY, NY, “Slidefest”
Awards
Hofstra University Faculty Research and Development Grant, 2020
Hofstra University Faculty Research and Development Grant, 2019
Hofstra University Faculty Research and Development Grant, 2018
NYFA/Andy Warhol Foundation Emergency Relief Fund, 2012
Nominee, Center Santa Fe Prize for Photography, 2011
Finalist, The Center for Documentary Studies/Honickman Foundation First Book Prize, 2010
Finalist, The Center for Documentary Studies/Honickman Foundation First Book Prize, 2008
The Paula Rhodes Memorial Award, 1997
Education
School of Visual Arts, NY, NY. MFA in Photography and the Related Media, 1995-1997
Princeton University, BA, Visual Arts/Art History major, Environmental Studies minor, 1990-1994