Cesar Melgar was born in Newark, NJ and raised in the Ironbound section, a working class neighborhood. This upbringing as a child of first generation immigrants from Colombia and Peru influences his eye as he turns his lens onto his community that has faced environmental injustice, disinvestment, and now the force of gentrification. His photos capture the poetic nuances of daily life in a city that is often misunderstood by New Jersey’s suburbs and beyond, and especially the media. In 2015, Cesar Melgar was introduced to the world via an interview by the Design Observer, a prestigious magazine devoted to a range of design topics such as urbanism and social innovation. Cesar has exhibited his work in most of the major galleries and institutions in Newark, New Jersey. He is a contributing photographer for the International Society of Biourbanism based in Rome, Italy. His photographs are showcased in his debut photo book, Street Views, designed by John Foster in 2018. As of 2019, he completed his first residency in Artena, Italy, immersing himself in the community and making images of its people. In 2020, he self published a zine containing photos he made of Newark during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic which was included in a New York Times article featuring Newark’s creative community. He was a Scholastic Awards National Art Juror in New York City which highlights the work of talented young photographers. Cesar has also been a guest speaker for multiple colleges. His work is in the collection of Throckmorton Fine Art, New York City, one of the foremost sources for important Latin American Contemporary and Vintage Photography.

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