State of Presence: Women's History Month Pop-Up Exhibit

In honor of Women's History Month, the BDC is bringing together five female artists whose work looks at what it means to take up space in everyday life. State of Presence will feature photography by Cat Byrnes, Lex Kim, Lucka Ngô, Sabrina Santiago, and Emily Sujay Sanchez.

Through the observation of quiet moments, their images explore visibility, vulnerability, strength, and what it means to be present. The photographs move between stillness and action, focusing on presence as something changing and alive — a body in a public space, a returned gaze, a moment of pause.
Curated by BDC Staff
On View: March 6 - 9, 2026
Gallery Hours: Thur-Fri 3-7PM + Sat-Sun 1-5PM
Free admission
Header: © Lex Kim

Cat Byrnes (@catbyrnes) is a New York City-based photographer and artist who has a BFA from Pace University. Her work has been exhibited internationally in Paris, Argentina and Costa Rica. Selected New York City galleries and shows include Photoville, Women’s Street Photographers, Leica NYC Flagship Store, BlankMagBooks, Soho Photo Gallery and Contact Gallery. She has been published by Konnotation Press, Pomegranate Press, The Guardian, Lomography, Hunger Magazine, and F-Stop Magazine. GIRLWORLD is her first published book by Konnotation Press released in 2025; her second book, Anthology of Still Lifes, was also published in 2025 by Konnotation Press. Her works seek to examine the private and public personas of New York City; from moody meditations on solitude to exuberant bursts of color and fervor. 

Lex Kim (@lx.kim) is a photographer and darkroom printer based in Brooklyn, New York. Her practice is rooted in a deep curiosity about people and their stories, with a focus on long-term documentary projects.

Lucka Ngô (@luckango) is a Vietnamese photographer, born and raised in the Czech Republic; the country’s diversity has played an instrumental role in the cultures and people she photographs. Based in the Bronx, Ngô's work is rooted in a persistent practice of learning from and loving the communities that inspire her, through a careful cultivation of trust between herself and her subjects. A self-taught photographer, she focuses on the intimate, transitory moments and expressions of everyday life, foregrounding the lives of those around her.

Sabrina Santiago (@_sabrinasantiago) is a New York-based photographer whose work explores identity, community, and self-discovery through the nuances of daily life. Her documentary approach builds on the tradition of street photography to transform fleeting gestures and encounters into intimate reflections on humanity.

Emily Sujay Sanchez (), is a Dominican-American photographer currently living and working in the Bronx whose work focuses on intimate visual storytelling. Through her lens, she captures emotionally resonant, often unfiltered moments. Sanchez’s practice is deeply influenced by her connection to the communities she photographs, often blurring the boundaries between observer and participant. Their work has been featured in the Mujeres Ariba exhibition NYC 2019; Women Street Photographers group exhibition in NYC; in the book Women Street Photography from Prestel Publishing and in the  New York Public Library Picture Collection.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Bronx Documentary Center