Streetwise Revisited: A 30-year Journey

The Seattle Public Library invites the public to take a look at lives of youth and families experiencing homelessness through the lens of photographer Mary Ellen Mark.

In 1983, Mark began documenting a group of homeless youth who were making their way on the streets of Seattle. This work culminated in the 1988 Life magazine publication “Streetwise,” which poignantly introduced several unforgettable children, including a girl nicknamed Tiny. Mark continued to photograph Tiny over three decades, creating what became one of Mark’s most significant and long-term projects.

The exhibit uses powerful imagery to take viewers from 13-year-old Tiny to the struggling middle-aged mother of 10 children.

A series of related public programs — including film screenings of a 1984 “Streetwise” documentary by Mark’s husband Martin Bell and his 2016 follow-up documentary “Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell” — will be held throughout the duration of the exhibit.

Learn more on the Library’s website.