Jill Inbar Photography 2025 Highlights
1 Person, 1 Drink, 2 Food Shinjuku, Tokyo 2025, ©2025 Jill Inbar
Looking back on 2025, I’m grateful for a year full of making, showing, traveling, and connecting through photography. Thank you for being part of this journey. Here are a few highlights.
Featured Work in 2025
TIDES — Arts Gowanus at Union Channel (Gowanus Wharf) (Jan-Mar 2025)
It was a thrill to participate in TIDES, an exhibition curated by Arts Gowanus at Union Channel at Gowanus Wharf alongside four talented local artists that opened last January. I exhibited six photographs from my series My Gowanus Souvenir, celebrating the neighborhood’s industrial heritage and creative spirit. Opening night was a wonderful way to kick off the year, and it was a joy to share the work in the ground-floor space of the new residential building.
Lust for Rust — Atlantic Gallery, Chelsea
In February and March 2025, I was honored to be included in Lust for Rust, a group exhibition at Atlantic Gallery in Chelsea curated by Ellen Hackl Fagan. The show explored erosion, time, and the transformative beauty of decay—ideas that connect naturally with my long-term project about Gowanus. My photograph was featured in the online exhibition and shown on the gallery’s in-person electronic display. It was exciting to see my work in conversation with other artists exploring similar themes.
Arts Gowanus Open Studios
October 2025 marked my fifth year participating in Open Studios—and my first year in my new studio at Brooklyn Neighborhood Arts Studios (540 President Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215). It was a joy to open my doors, share my process, and connect with visitors curious about the evolving Gowanus landscape. I loved talking about My Gowanus Souvenir, along with ongoing projects including In the Magical Kingdom, Vail, Prospect Park, and my architectural and street photography from New York City, Japan, and Italy. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and supported me. If you missed open studios, please reach out and we can arrange a studio visit.
Small Works Show — 440 Gallery, Park Slope (Nov—Dec 2025)
To close out the year, I was delighted to have my photograph “School Boys, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto” (2025) included in 440 Gallery’s annual Small Works Show, curated by Yara Doumani. The exhibition celebrated creativity on an intimate scale, and it was wonderful to be part of such a strong collection of small-format work.
School Boys, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto ©2025 Jill Inbar
Travel, Looking, and New Inspiration
The trips I take continue to feed my creative spirit and shape what I notice back home. This year I was lucky to explore places that felt visually rich and emotionally grounding.
Japan — Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka (January)
Tokyo was a visual feast: early morning light at the Imperial Palace, the layered textures of Meiji Shrine, the energy of Harajuku and Omotesando, and the rhythm of street life after dark. I’m still thinking about the way history and modern life sit side by side there—and how that juxtaposition echoes what draws me to photographing Brooklyn’s changing landscape.
Do Not Feed The Pigeons, Tokyo ©2025 Jill Inbar
Scotland — Great Glen Way + Edinburgh
This summer brought a completely different palette: the Highlands on foot, changing weather by the hour, quiet lochs, rusting structures (my favorite), and that sweet mix of exhaustion and awe that comes from covering long miles day after day. We finished with time in Edinburgh—walking Calton Hill, soaking in Fringe Festival energy, and letting the city’s stories, bookstores, and architecture sink in.
Leaving Fort William on the Great Glen Way, Day 1 ©2025 Jill Inbar
Inspiration Along the way
This year I pushed myself to take full advantage of museum and gallery exhibitions—both in New York and while traveling. With 50+ museum and gallery visits in 2025, I found inspiration in work near and far. A few exhibitions that really stayed with me:
Alec Soth, Room About Room — Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
I loved seeing such a large collection of Soth’s photographs in one place and was especially drawn to how he uses walls, chairs, and windows to shape portraits of people and their spaces. I also couldn’t stop thinking about his images of personal belongings—especially the stacks of books.
Edward Burtynsky, The Great Acceleration, — International Center for Photography (ICP) Burtynsky’s large-scale, intricately detailed images document the impact of industrialization on natural resources worldwide. The work inspired awe while also making the consequences feel immediate. Soon after, I had the opportunity to hear him speak at an artist talk at Howard Greenberg Gallery during his show “Natural Commodities”, which deepened my appreciation for the clarity and even-handedness he brings to his mission of bearing witness.
Milton Avery, The Figure
This was my first introduction to Avery, and I enjoyed seeing the breadth of his style while he returned again and again to painting portraits of his wife and family over the course of his life.
Jade Doskow — ABC No Rio
I loved seeing some of Jade Doskow’s early work in a show commemorating ABC No Rio (even with the line to get in!). It was also a treat to see the other work on view and spend time with Jade and others at the opening.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Going into 2026 with the same momentum as 2025, I’m thrilled to be featured in Issue 16 of New Visionary Magazine. A huge thank you to Visionary Art Collective and Johnny Thorton for curation. It’s wonderful to be included alongside so many incredible artists. If you’d like to support the magazine (please do), digital and print copies are available now.
I’m feeling grateful and excited—still deeply engaged in photographing Gowanus and Brooklyn, continuing my family series, and staying open to what new places and projects might spark next. I’m looking forward to new work, new collaborations, and connecting with you along the way.