Glendalis

Angela Cappetta's Glendalis captures the life of a youngest daughter of a Puerto Rican family in an unfiltered portrayal of family life and rites of passage in pre-gentrified Lower East Side. Glendalis by photographer Angela Cappetta explores the multi-generational story of a family living in a pre-gentrified Stanton Street tenement. Through protagonist Glendalis, the youngest family member and messenger, Cappetta reflects on her own upbringing within a bustling, complex family. As a Gen X child in New York, Cappetta juxtaposes the apparent serenity captured in the photographs with the harsh realities of urban life—crime, incarceration, and community trauma. The book offers a candid glimpse into the cultural fabric of the Lower East Side, portraying intimate family moments alongside the challenges they face. Embedded deeply in the project, Cappetta contemplates the evolving nature of relationships and the solitary path of a documentary photographer. Glendalis is a poignant narrative of familial bonds, community resilience, and the profound impact of personal history on both artist and subject.