Eye on 3rd Ward:
Yates x Fotofest Project
Commemorating the Jack Yates High School centennial, the Eye on 3rd Ward: A Retrospective exhibition honors the photographic legacy of students and legendary mentor Ray Carrington III. It revisits the origins of the acclaimed Eye on Houston series, drawing from a rich archive of student work and ephemera to preserve the neighborhood's storied cultural landscape.
By bridging Carrington's historical tenure with contemporary student imagery, the collection sparks a vital cross-generational dialogue. In partnership with the JY Photo Lab and Third Ward Cultural District, this retrospective amplifies youth voices, reinforcing a century-long tradition of pride, excellence, and artistic vibrancy within the Third Ward.
Eye on 3rd Ward: A Retrospective is held in conjunction with the Fotofest 2026 biennial. It will be on view at The Garage at 2509 Alabama.
This collaboration is funded in part by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Fotofest Biennial 2026
Phalyn Honora
Project Facilitator + Teaching Artist
Phalyn Honora is an experimental artist working in Houston, TX with alternative photography, sculpture, and film. She examines the complexity of humanity and identity, analyzing forms of destruction, and the paths to the pursuit of collective liberation. Her work is cognized through existential and sociological lenses, particularly within the contexts of her experience as a Black, queer woman in America. She understands the urgency to respond to the needs of her community and centers her practice in social sculpture.
Honora's work has been featured in group shows at the Blaffer Art Museum, the Eldorado Ballroom, and SANMAN Studios. Among these, she has also participated in the Summer Studios Artist Residency at Project Row Houses in 2023, and SANMAN Studios' artist-in-residence program in 2025.
Danielle Mason
Instructor
Danielle Mason is an educator, multi-media artist, and emerging arts writer who explores the kinship between Black expressive culture, fiber art, and matrilineal traditions. Mason is the founder of Ancient Mother’s Wisdom Inc., a curriculum non-profit geared towards providing rites of passage programming for adolescent Black girls to educate on topics of folk art, spirituality, and holistic sexuality. She currently teaches Photography at Jack Yates HS in Houston, TX, and continues to pursue freelance writing in her spare time. Her work has been featured in multiple exhibits and publications including: What We Carry, an anthology featuring reflections on Black motherhood, When We Exhale, an anthology for Black women on grief, intimacy, and love, and Project Row Houses: Round 60.
For more information, visit: diasporicdaughter.wordpress.com or @diasporicdaughter on Instagram.
Eye on 3rd Ward is a retrospective exhibition celebrating the photographic legacy of Jack Yates High School students and their former teacher, Mr. Ray Carrington. This project honors the origins of the acclaimed Eye on Houston exhibition, which began with the powerful visual storytelling of Third Ward youth and was first showcased at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. As Jack Yates HS approaches its centennial in 2026, this exhibit revisits the original student works that helped shape the narrative of Houston’s cultural landscape. Presented in partnership with the JY Photo Lab and the Third Ward Cultural District, the exhibition seeks to amplify the creative voices of the community’s youth while highlighting the enduring impact of Mr. Carrington’s mentorship. Through archival support from the Museum of Fine Arts, we aim to feature selected works from past exhibitions alongside contemporary student photography, creating a dialogue between generations and reinforcing the artistic vibrancy of Third Ward. Eye on 3rd Ward is more than a look back—it is a celebration of legacy, place, and the power of youth expression through the lens. This project aligns with FotoFest’s mission to elevate diverse perspectives and will serve as a cultural touchstone during Jack Yates High School’s historic 100th anniversary.