GRAY ZONES to Open at Puffin Cultural Forum

Following a highly acclaimed debut at The Puffin Foundation Brooklyn, The Puffin Cultural Forum in Teaneck, New Jersey will host Gray Zones: Unmaking the Myth of a Polarized Nation. Opening on October 3, 2026, this powerful photography exhibition features a prestigious roster of award-winning photographers, many of whom are contributing members of the renowned VII Foundation. After its residency in Teaneck, the exhibition will move on to tour internationally.

Gray Zones was inspired by the semiquincentennial of the United States, which feels less united with every passing day. In today's economy, where media has descended into echo chambers controlled by a handful of massive corporations, the impetus to double down on difference and fuel clicks with strife as a conscious and profitable choice. Division across race, class, gender, ethnicity, geography and more, has been a strategy used to disempower and oppress people while concentrating wealth and power in the hands of few.

This exhibition challenges viewers to reconsider this dominant narrative of division. The reality is that all of us, whether we are urban or rural, queer or straight, born in the USA or elsewhere, share similar struggles, loves, hardships, and joys. While the nation was built on a foundation of inequality and exploitation, every era of American history has been marked by the fight for civil and human rights. Intersectional organizing across differences has always been critical to the success of these struggles.

Ultimately, Gray Zones is an invitation to look beyond binaries and see the gray zones where our lives overlap. It is a call to recognize ourselves in each other, regardless of our differences. It is a reminder that solidarity is not just possible, but necessary, if we are to continue as a nation.

An opening reception will be held on Saturday, October 3rd from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. The event will feature a special panel discussion at 2:00 PM with curator and featured photographer, Danny Wilcox Frazier, and joined by several other featured artists. Guests will have the rare opportunity to meet and engage directly with their work.

Attendees are encouraged to RSVP for the free opening reception at: https://www.puffinculturalforum.org/event/exhibition-opening-gray-zones/

Curated by Danny Wilcox Frazier, this exhibition features photography from Nina Berman, Sheila Pree Bright, Danny Wilcox Frazier, Jordan Gale, Ron Haviv, Tyrel Iron Eyes, Brooklynn Kascel, Erin Kirkland, Zun Lee, Jon Lowenstein, and Carlos Javier Ortiz.

Exhibition Details:

• Exhibition Title: Gray Zones
• Opening Reception: Saturday, October 3, 2026, 1:00 - 4:00pm
• Location: The Puffin Cultural Forum, 20 Puffin Way, Teaneck, NJ 07666
• General Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 11:00am - 4:00pm
• Admission: Free

About The Puffin Cultural Forum:

The Puffin Cultural Forum, a project of The Puffin Foundation Ltd., is a gallery and performance space located at the site of the Foundation's administrative offices in Teaneck, New Jersey. Our work takes place at the intersection of the arts and the struggle for human rights as we seek to realize, in our local community, the Foundation's governing motto: '...continuing the dialogue between art and the lives of ordinary people.'

About The Vll Foundation:

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