Australian street photographer brings 'chaos' of New York to Sydney

23 September 2025

Sydney street photographer Sam Ferris is set to unveil his latest exhibition, New York Times, capturing the electric, chaotic energy of New York City in the weeks leading up to the 2024 U.S. Presidential election.

Brooklyn’s Bike Kill.On a late-afternoon in Brooklyn’s industrial backstreets, Bike Kill unfolds — riders wobbling atop Frankenstein bicycles while a raucous, costumed crowd cheers. It’s part anarchy, part carnival, all celebration. Riders and bikes veer into spectators, but remarkably, no one seems to mind — or be hurt. — Brooklyn’s Bike Kill. On a late-afternoon in Brooklyn’s industrial backstreets, Bike Kill unfolds — riders wobbling atop Frankenstein bicycles while a raucous, costumed crowd cheers. It’s part anarchy, part carnival, all celebration. Riders and bikes veer into spectators, but remarkably, no one seems to mind — or be hurt.

Shot across Manhattan and Brooklyn, Ferris’s images document a city on edge yet alive with theatre, performance, and resilience.

Reflecting on his work, Ferris said, “I hurled myself into New York like whiskey down a dry throat, chasing the manic heartbeat of a city that refused to slow down… Democracy was theatre, chaos was ritual, and the streets of New York were the stage.”

Madison Square Garden, Trump Rally.Outside Madison Square Garden, Donald Trump’s campaign rally drew supporters who queued around the block until the venue hit capacity. Police formed a barrier between them and a sea of protestors voicing their opposition. As the afternoon stretched on, tension escalated. — Madison Square Garden, Trump Rally. Outside Madison Square Garden, Donald Trump’s campaign rally drew supporters who queued around the block until the venue hit capacity. Police formed a barrier between them and a sea of protestors voicing their opposition. As the afternoon stretched on, tension escalated.

In his images, Trump loyalists and protestors converge on Madison Square Garden, cyclists stage anarchic parades at Bike Kill, and Halloween prophets flood the Village, while the streets themselves become stages for the city’s adrenaline-fueled spectacle.

Staten Island Ferry, Sunset.Golden hour at day’s end: I’d take the Staten Island ferry to watch the sun dip behind the Statue of Liberty, joining waves of commuters and tourists who make the crossing daily. — Staten Island Ferry, Sunset. Golden hour at day’s end: I’d take the Staten Island ferry to watch the sun dip behind the Statue of Liberty, joining waves of commuters and tourists who make the crossing daily.

The exhibition promises a sensory experience of photographs, noise, and the faint whiff of political delirium.

Empire State Building, MidtownAs the evening sun ignites the Empire State Building, Midtown glows in neon from colossal billboards, while the halogen glare of food carts casts passersby in spotlight — as if on a film set. — Empire State Building, Midtown As the evening sun ignites the Empire State Building, Midtown glows in neon from colossal billboards, while the halogen glare of food carts casts passersby in spotlight — as if on a film set.

For Ferris, photographing the city was as much about survival as storytelling.

“I carried a camera not as a shield, but as a way to sieve through the noise," he says.

New York Times opens on Friday 26 September, at Studio 551, 551 King Street, Newtown. Entry is from 6:00 – 9:30 PM.