Access: Artists in Residence Nick Guzzo
BY DAY, Nick Guzzo is Fitler Club’s Security Manager. He joined the FC team in May of 2019 and he runs the day-to-day security operations to ensure the safety of all Fitler Club members, guests and team members. BY NIGHT, Nick is an amateur, self-taught photographer who began using his interest in photography as a way to cope with anxiety after concluding his military service career in 2015. When insomnia strikes, Nick wanders the streets of Philadelphia with his Canon EOS Rebel T6. Shooting what he feels, many of his photographs capture the essence of some of his favorite song lyrics.
FITLER FOR A CAUSE
Fitler Club has purchased the following collection entitled That Was Yesterday to add to its permanent collection. In partnership with Nick, the digital files can be purchased for $100 per photo to support The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia. ($75 of each purchase will go directly to support The Fund and $25 will go to Nick)
Fitler Club’s Art Curation Team will facilitate professional printing and framing for members, if desired. If you are interested in making a purchase, please contact Tricia Maloney.
On Saturday, May 30, 2020, as the frustration over the recent and unjust murders of Black people manifested itself in protests throughout Philadelphia, Nick felt compelled to capture the outrage he knew most people, especially the Black community, were experiencing. Nick used his art and his social media platform to share a raw and real view of what transpired.
When asked about that day and the photographs that resulted, Nick says “I don’t know why this time things felt different, but part of me knew this would be a turning point in our nation’s history. We’re all experiencing this defining moment together. I am a proud Black American who hopes that the nation has finally heard us. Now let’s get to work, together.”
Nick titled his series That Was Yesterday. The title is borrowed from the Leon Bridge’s song of the same name. This particular lyric from the song embodies what Nick felt as he took these photographs, “Yesterday no one was listening, today is gonna be different. You couldn’t hear my voice under the surface, that was yesterday.”
You can view more of Nick’s photographs on his Instagram page @guzzzooo
The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia
An organization that serves as a fiscal intermediary between the private sector and the Philadelphia public education system. We are the only philanthropic organization that works directly with school leadership to align the investments of partners—private foundations, corporations and businesses, community organizations and individual donors—with the strategies that will impact the success of students attending our neighborhood public schools.