Russell Frederick, a highly respected Brooklyn-based photographer, is known for his profound portrayals of the African diaspora and his beloved Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant.
As a Brooklyn native of Afro-Panamanian heritage, Russell is a self-taught photographer with a career spanning 25 years. He began documenting the African diaspora in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, in 1999, after realizing his passion for photography during a black and white photography class at the International Center of Photography.
Russell’s work has been widely exhibited in galleries, museums, and photo festivals across the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia, including ‘Photoville’ in Brooklyn, ‘Visa Pour L’image’ in France, ‘Lodz Photo Festival’ in Poland, and ‘On the Move’ in Italy, among others. His distinctive talent for capturing the soul and resilience of his subjects has earned him numerous accolades and the respect of his peers.
Russell has also helped raise funds with his artwork for the National Association of Black Journalists and the Kamoinge-Ferman Scholarship at Columbia College in Chicago.
Despite his achievements, he is currently facing a challenging period and is reaching out for support. His journey has been complicated by health issues, including a series of eye surgeries due to glaucoma, which has led to blindness in one eye and threatens his remaining vision. These health struggles have also impacted his ability to work and his financial stability.
Russell described the situation as follows: “The past few months have been really hard due to a depression I went into after being informed last year I would need a sixth eye surgery and then experiencing a work stoppage that has put me on the verge of losing my apartment/work space.”
He also expressed concern about broader industry challenges affecting his livelihood: “The dismantling of Affirmative Action is being felt. The increased usage of A.I. photos is also hurting my workflow. Plus budgets changing for productions. All of this has put me at a deficit and it is why I’m reaching out to you today.”
To help Russell through this difficult time, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support him. Contributions to the campaign will help him catch up on rent and secure affordable housing in Bedford-Stuyvesant, allowing him to continue his important work in the community.
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Russell is determined to remain in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where he has spent years documenting the rich history of the neighborhood. “Bed Stuy is home and I have a lot of unfinished work to do documenting the history in the neighborhood,” he stated.
His art has had a meaningful impact on the cultural landscape, and now he needs our support. We encourage readers to contribute to his GoFundMe campaign and share his story with their networks.
By coming together, we can help Russell continue his crucial work documenting the vibrant history of Bedford-Stuyvesant and the wider African diaspora.
Any entity or individual interested in licensing Russell’s work for editorial or commercial use can email russellfrederickphotography@gmail.com
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