Gary Spector – “Portraits of Essential Workers – Hoboken Hospital 2020”

May 2, 2021 - July 4, 2021

A silver lining of the Covid 19 pandemic has been the opportunity for artists to focus on personal projects while their work routine was disrupted. Freelance professional portrait photographer Gary Spector credits the pandemic lockdown for giving him an incentive to turn his talents to a passion project: A portrait series to raise awareness about the efforts of essential workers in Hoboken.

Through an introduction by a close friend who is a physician in town, Spector secured the necessary permissions to go into the Hoboken University Medical Center and recreate a photo studio in a large meeting area there, with a subtle painted backdrop and dramatic lighting. Given the restrictions in place, and safety issues, it was logistically easier and safer to do it on site, and it gave him access to more people there. The hospital helped him recruit the individuals and work around their schedules.

Spector’s one request going into the project was to have access to all workers at the hospital. “I wanted to photograph all personnel, from doctors and nurses to administrators, porters and security guards – everyone who was essential in the fight against Covid 19,” he explained. 

“I ended up photographing 39 essential workers,” he said, “who represent all the various jobs at the hospital, and all of whose work was critical during the pandemic.”

“I asked people to bring an object with them that reflected what they did at the hospital,” he added, noting that “some brought things, others did not. I ended up using only a few objects, as the experience of the pandemic was so obviously reflected in the faces that I was photographing.”

At first, most of the subjects were a bit uncomfortable in the setting, he said. “Many were surprised by the set-up involved, but once the subjects were on set, I simply asked them if they could reflect a bit on what the past few months had been like for them. Once we began to talk, almost everybody relaxed and shed any apprehensions about being photographed. Through each person’s stories, their body language simply became part of the image.”

In the course of these 20-minute sessions, Spector learned a lot about what the pandemic has meant for Hoboken’s front-line workers. “What I learned was how incredibly focused and caring the staff at HUMC truly are. So many of the people in the project have been working there for twenty-plus years, and have a real connection with the people of Hoboken.” 

“They were all dedicated to the people of Hoboken during this unprecedented year, despite the risk that was obvious to them, and they did so with the utmost care and compassion,” he explained. “There was a lot of demand on the staff, and many of them found themselves doing jobs that were not part of their daily protocol. Everyone I photographed was generous with their stories and with their time, and they embraced the importance of this project.”

Spector himself has lived in Hoboken for almost 40 years, having moved here while a student at The School of Visual Arts in New York. He only planned to stay here until he could afford to move into New York City, “but I quickly fell in love with the town,” he remembered. “There was a lot going on here in the early 80s; lots of artists and creative people were here at the time. It was affordable, with a fun nightlife, good restaurants, and a unique vibe, with so many different people from so many different backgrounds.”

He and his wife decided to buy a place here 25 years ago, and his son was born and raised here. Now in college, his son “loved growing up here, and is very proud to be a kid from Hoboken, NJ!” The town has changed a lot since those days, Spector said, but his roots are here now, with wonderful friends, and a great sense of community. This is Spector’s second exhibition at the Hoboken Museum, following a 2018 show of his Hoboken Halloween portraits, and he has also been photographing burlesque performers for the past few years. 

He’s been a professional working photographer for 30 years, opening his first studio in NYC in 1991, specializing in portraiture, first in the music industry and editorial work, and transitioning along the way to more corporate work. To view his online portfolio, visit garyspector.com. The exhibit will remain on view through July 4.

The exhibit is supported by a block grant from the State/County Partnership program for the Arts, administered by the Hudson County Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.