An extraordinary photography exhibition at the Baxter St Camera Club of New York offers viewers an intimate glimpse into two decades of life in Manhattan's Chinatown through the lens of photographer Thomas Holton. "The Lams of Ludlow Street" presents a comprehensive collection of photographs documenting the daily experiences of a Chinese-American family living in New York City's historic Chinatown neighborhood.
The exhibition, which runs through August 13 at 154 Ludlow Street in the Lower East Side, features Holton's ongoing photographic series that began in 2003. The project follows the Lam family as they navigate life in a cramped 350-square-foot apartment, capturing both mundane moments and significant milestones over the course of twenty years.
Holton's photographs reveal the ingenuity and resilience required for family life in such confined quarters. In "Drying Laundry" (2004), clothes hangers are strung across a rooftop clothesline as the family seeks to maximize their limited square footage and access to fresh air. These same hangers appear throughout the series, becoming recurring characters in the family's story - hanging expectantly above the bathtub in "Bathtime" (2004) and framing the top edge of "Family Portrait" (2004) with a line of coats.
The photographer captures the passage of time through the growth and evolution of the Lam children. A little boy is seen riding his bicycle in early photographs, gradually maturing over the years. The young daughter transforms from a child into a moody teenager clutching a flip phone in "Bored" (2011), and later appears with a smartphone in "Watching Black Mirror" (2019). The family's mother, initially focused on practical concerns, eventually embraces her fashion sense, appearing in full streetwear including a tan jumpsuit and Supreme bag in "Outfit of the Day" (2024).
Holton's approach focuses on domestic textures and details that reveal not just where the Lam family lives, but how they live. The photographs showcase the beauty that emerges from a lifestyle characterized by frequent visits to businesses run by members of their cultural community, creative reuse of materials, and resourceful problem-solving. Small details throughout the series catch the eye: rainbow dusters commonly seen in Chinese shops, calendars produced by Chinese pharmacies, and a shoelace used to hold a door open in "Passport Photos" (2003).
Particularly significant is the presence of American brands integrated into the family's daily life, such as the family-sized box of Quaker oats visible in the background of "A Month Before College" (2018). These elements represent how immigrant families often incorporate American products into their existing culture rather than simply assimilating into mainstream American society.
The photographer brings a unique perspective to this subject matter. According to the exhibition's press release, Holton is a lifelong New Yorker of mixed Chinese and American descent who grapples with feelings of detachment from his Chinese roots through this photographic series. He seeks to bridge gaps in his own identity by exploring another family's experiences through his camera lens.
Thresholds and boundaries feature prominently throughout the work. The exhibition opens with "Passport Photos," showing the Lam family's apartment door slightly ajar, serving as both literal and metaphorical entry point for viewers and photographer alike. "Front Door" (2005) captures the family's thickly painted apartment door from the outside, suggesting the photographer's gradual process of gaining access to the family's private world.
Holton's relationship with the Lam family extends far beyond that of a traditional documentary photographer. Michael Lam, the oldest of the siblings, describes Holton as functioning like an uncle who babysat the children when they were young and later drove them to college more than a decade later. This deep, sustained relationship is evident in the intimate access and trust reflected in the photographs.
A selection of these photographs was previously exhibited in May 2021 at Home gallery, displayed in a storefront window on Ludlow Street during a particularly challenging period. The showing occurred just one year after George Floyd's murder sparked international protests and racial reckoning, and while the country was still dealing with COVID-19 and its associated rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans.
The current exhibition demonstrates how the Lam children have grown into their own sense of self-expression. "Taylor Swift Karaoke" (2024) shows the once-little girl now luminous and ecstatic, singing with her eyes closed and palm open in what is clearly not the cramped Chinatown apartment. The photograph's style has also evolved - "A Crowded Christmas" (2024) features blue and pink lighting and shows the daughter staring directly at the camera in a composition reminiscent of contemporary television shows like "Euphoria."
The evolution in photographic style reflects broader cultural changes. "Lunar New Year Dinner" (2024) employs an overhead perspective and saturated colors that appear more influenced by social media aesthetics compared to the subdued "Dinner for Seven" from 2011, which was taken from the perspective of a dinner guest at the table.
The exhibition's presentation includes dozens of photographs hung in loosely chronological order, with some displayed in traditional frames while others are pinned directly to the wall. This mixed approach emphasizes the depth of Holton's commitment to documenting the Lam family's story, which clearly transcends their original Ludlow Street apartment.
"The Lams of Ludlow Street" serves as the inaugural exhibition for Baxter St Camera Club's new white cube gallery space, coincidentally located on Ludlow Street itself. The gallery's presence represents a significant change for the neighborhood - such an upscale art space would have been unthinkable as a tenant during much of the timespan covered by Holton's photographs.
The exhibition raises important questions about representation and voyeurism in documentary photography, particularly when photographers document communities or experiences different from their own. However, Holton's sustained relationship with his subjects and his own mixed heritage provide context that distinguishes this work from more exploitative approaches to photographing immigrant communities.
The comprehensive nature of this exhibition allows viewers to witness not just individual moments but the arc of family life over two decades. Through Holton's patient documentation, audiences observe the universal experiences of childhood, adolescence, and family relationships while also gaining insight into the specific challenges and joys of Chinese-American life in one of New York City's most historically significant neighborhoods.
The Baxter St Camera Club of New York organized the exhibition, which continues through August 13. The institution's decision to inaugurate their new space with this particular body of work suggests a commitment to showcasing photography that engages meaningfully with community and cultural identity rather than treating them as subjects for casual observation.
