Everything happens downtown. Photographers in mid-Seventies and early Eighties New York City had dumb luck to be there for all of it.

The Gallery at Soho Grand is exhibiting the work of these haphazard historians in its new Downtown Lens exhibition, curated by Richard Boch. Boch—though he wasn’t wielding a camera—remained in the center of the action as the “longtime alpha doorman” at the Mudd Club. He was said to have made “live or die” decisions that influenced the spot’s notoriety and made him an authority figure on the culture of the Big Apple in this transformative period.

The lifelong New Yorker handpicked works from Maripol, Kate Simon, Bob Gruen, David Godlis, Michael Halsband, Roberta Bayley, and several other big-name photographers of the era to be featured in this compelling collection. The artists showcased life as it was, in the streets and nightclubs, with all of its grit and vigor. They were surrounded by creatives — household names like David Bowie and Andy Warhol — crazies and people just craving a party. It was absurd, but it all made sense. And it produced some of the most vivid depictions of city life. CBGB, Mudd Club, Danceteria, and Max’s Kansas City were the spots that the lensman frequented, which showcased the rollercoaster of emotion and activity found throughout the city at the time.

‍Downtown Lens opens February 12, 2026, at The Gallery at Soho Grand and will be on display simultaneously with additional works at The Roxy Hotel until May 3, 2026.