Alex Harsley, who moved to New York City as a kid and set up his East Village photo gallery at 67 East 4th Street more than 50 years ago, mainly frequents what he terms “keystone places” in his neighborhood. It’s understandable for a longtime resident of the area. The East Village has forever been a place for small, can-do businesses, though what was once the creative stomping ground for bohemians, Beats, artists and punks has fewer and fewer spots that stand as reminders of those days.
The 4th Street Photo Gallery, 1990s. Photo: Alex Harsley
Harsley at The 4th Street Photo Gallery
Harsley’s sentiment also speaks to the crucial role he plays in supporting local institutions that may struggle amid today’s shortened attention spans and social-media-driven world—though he is as active on Instagram as any 27-year-old we know, much less an 87-year-old.
Harsley began his career in the City as a messenger, later moving into a job in the DA’s office, which was around the time that he developed an interest in photography. He then studied to learn what makes a good photo, saying he had the ability to “see things as they were happening but before they actually happened” so he could always capture the precise movement he wanted. After being drafted in the 1960s, he won an Army prize for an image of boots, a “slow shot of them moving left, right, left, right.” When he got back to the City, he began to make contacts in the photography world and in political circles, thanks to some choice assignments. In 1971, those connections helped him start a nonprofit arts organization, Minority Photographers, that continues to operate—with Harsley working mainly on the archiving and education side of it these days.
Self-portrait. Photo: Alex Harsley
East 4th Street. Photo: Alex Harsley
Gem Spa, at Second Avenue and St Marks Place. Photo: Alex Harsley
Lafayette Street, East Village. Photo: Alex Harsley
Over the years, he has had the chance to work with and aid the careers of Dawoud Bey and David Hammons, among many others, all while remaining somewhat out of the spotlight. Indeed you could walk right past his small gallery storefront without realizing it’s there or what hidden history lies within.
A visit inside reveals decades of photographic documentation: East Village and Lower East Side sights and social life, NYC cultural figures and the like. Scads of old cameras serve as their own testament to his long career. Frequently parked in front is Harsley’s 1968 Dodge Dart, which he claims has more than 800,000 miles on it—it still starts (we confirmed this)—and serves as a street-side attraction in its own right.
The 4th Street Photo Gallery
Harsley's Dodge Dart
And while he says not everyone, established artists included, welcomed him with open arms in his early days in the neighborhood, Harsley is beloved now, as evidenced by the block party held for his most recent birthday—filled with performances, a documentary screening and heartfelt singing—and the many waves, shouts and side conversations that took place as we walked up and down Second Avenue with him a few weeks later.
Read on for an East Village guide through Harsley’s own eyes and words, including how he remains active in its daily goings-on. —Andrew Rosenberg
Harsley behind the wheel
Favorite restaurants: Little Poland and B&H Dairy
I frequent the Polish places, particularly Little Poland. If I’m by myself, I’ll sit at the counter; when I’m with someone, probably in the back. I like the soup, especially the borscht, and cucumber salad, that kind of stuff. It’s good!
Kielbasa, pierogi, potato pancakes and soup, Little Poland
Red borscht, Little Poland
I try to go to B&H Dairy about once a month and get the mushroom soup. This place has been around since the 1930s. It’s one of the few Jewish dairy food places in the City. It’s solid.
Favorite arts space: Rod Rodgers Dance Company
There were a lot of serious cliques when I became part of the Fourth Arts Block cultural district. They didn’t interact. But I had to get to know them. I became important in keeping the peace.
Rod Rodgers showed up with all this furniture. I said, “I guess he got kicked out of the other place. I'm gonna be behind you.”
Harsley and Rachel Lubell at Rod Rodgers Dance Company
A class at Rod Rodgers Dance Company
Rodgers broke all the rules. He was good at it, right? He got more and more people responding to what he was doing. After he died, Kim Grier took over. She did this thing with the Harlem School of the Arts, The Nutcracker. I said, “How come this didn’t go to Broadway?” A masterpiece.
I had to support Rod, and now I support Kim. Martha Graham is dead. Alvin Ailey is dead. Eventually these things won’t exist again.
Best stroll for visitors: St. Marks Place
They need to come to Cooper Square, hang out, have some brunch and enjoy the atmosphere. Then get the confidence to walk down St. Marks Place. Along the way there are a lot of different small eateries—you’ll probably find that you want to come here more often. Take St. Marks all the way over to Tompkins Square Park.
Favorite outdoor spot: Tompkins Square Park
When you want to meet somebody, you should do it in Tompkins Square Park. You go there, you sit down and have a nice conversation, and nobody messes with you, OK? It’s that kind of place.
I got to know professional journalistic photographers from there, people who documented the space. It’s an important part of East Village history—a big part of the gay rights movement happened here. It’s where Wigstock was held.
Harsley with his bike
Favorite family business: Velo
There are places I don’t want to go out of business. I still bike. I go get food with my bike. And Velo is one of the last of the bicycle shops in the area, been around for 30 years.
I’m friends with the people there. The owner [Andrew Crooks] is a family man and has another bike place in Yonkers. I might go into the Second Avenue shop and take a photograph of a bike or his daughter on a bike. I do that from time to time. I have a running history of their family. I do that for other people in the neighborhood too.
Favorite place to photograph: Kenkeleba House
The backyard of Kenkeleba House, a sculpture garden on Third Street, has all kinds of weird objects, all made by Black artists. One piece I was looking at is a hand trying to come out of the sewer. People would look and think, What the hell is that?
The building has a museum and gallery put together by Joe Overstreet. It’s got a very complete collection of paintings by Black artists. It was [Overstreet’s] dream to create a museum. His wife runs it now.
Favorite thrift shop: East Village Thrift Shop
They’ve got a lot inside. I sometimes buy my frames here.
Harsley bikes east across Second Avenue
Favorite places to walk and bike: To the East and Hudson Rivers
I like walking across 4th Street over to the river, basically over into East River Park, but that’s been under renovation [portions are open; the part below Stanton Street remains closed]—still, it’s a favorite place to go. I take my bike over to Avenue D, then go down to Delancey, on the Lower East Side, and get food from this Dominican place, La Isla Cafe.
I also like to take the path along Hudson River Park all the way up to the George Washington Bridge. You can go without any interruption.
This article is part of our series On My Way NYC, in which locals guide us to their favorite neighborhood destinations.
