(NEWARK, NJ) -- Photographer and filmmaker Akintola Hanif will exhibit a retrospective of his work spanning more than 20 years of photos – from street photography and documentary portraiture to erotica and studio images–on October 9, 2026 at HYCIDE XPANSE [arts axis] in Newark, NJ from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.
Titled The Other Side of Fear is Freedom, the exhibition includes over 50 photographs in addition to film and video.
“I’m presenting everything that I have amassed over the years. It’s a cohesive timeline of my life and my journey,’’ said Hanif, founder and editor-in-chief of HYCIDE magazine and XPANSE [arts axis] on Halsey Street in Newark.
Hanif, whose acclaimed photos are in the Smithsonian Museum and the Library of Congress, is best known for his documentary portraiture of gang members, the unhoused, public housing residents, and street style from the early 2000s to the present.
Also on view are his erotica and studio work, which was an early focus of his career and resumed after he suffered a stroke nearly 10 years ago.
He named his retrospective The Other Side Of Fear Is Freedom to represent the people’s struggle to transcend boundaries imposed by systems of oppression. Having the fearlessness to bear witness to those considered dangerous is both a character trait and a tool for connection, survival, and liberation, said Hanif.
Hanif’s approach has always been to collaborate with his subjects, earning their trust so he can reveal the beauty, self-expression, and perseverance of people who are often misrepresented and stigmataized-–as well as the love, joy, and loyalty they share with each other.
“I think of myself as a fly on the wall or a mirror. I see beauty, I see resilience, I see regality, I see strength, character, morals, and style,’’ said Hanif.
A focus of the exhibition is a teaser of Hanif’s upcoming documentary series The Bity, filmed in 2003, which documents life in an East Orange housing complex that was a hub for members of the Bloods gang. Also featured are his intimate and multifaceted images of gangs from the mid-to-late 2000s, when Hanif was given rare access to photograph their day-to-day lives and rituals.
“I documented it when it was just starting to really pop off in Jersey and the members were very dedicated,’’ he said.
Some of Hanif’s subjects have died since he photographed them, which reinforces his hope that images from the exhibition will be viewed for their historical significance.They preserve fleeting moments from the lives and culture of people whose stories and images are often lost or ignored by mainstream media. “I miss the ones that are no longer here. I want to keep their spirits alive in my work and I’m just grateful that I had the opportunity to meet all these beautiful souls,’’ said Hanif. “I want to focus on their hearts and how I was fortunate enough to capture them during a vulnerable time that’s long gone.’’
Sunday, Oct 11, 2026
@ 2:00pm
NJPAC - Prudential Hall
Newark, NJ
Saturday, Oct 17, 2026
@ 6:00pm
Roseville Church
Newark, NJ
The Roseville Outreach Community Corporation (ROCC) presents ROCC FEST. The event is headlined by Anthony Nelson and includes performances by Mark Gross, Bruce Williams, Jeff Miller, Birsa Chattjee, Brandon McCune, Kenny Davis, David Hawkins, Alexis Morras, and Devonne Rose & Divine Grace Movement.
Saturday, Oct 24, 2026
@ 7:30pm
NJPAC - Prudential Hall
Newark, NJ
Thursday, Nov 19, 2026
@ 1:30pm
NJPAC - Prudential Hall
Newark, NJ
Eric Jacobsen conductor
Christian McBride double bass
Chris Komer horn
New Jersey Symphony
Sunday, Dec 20, 2026
@ 7:00pm
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Newark, NJ
