The American state of New Jersey takes its name from the Channel Island of Jersey, a Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom. Over time the state’s coastline—known today as the “Jersey Shore”—developed into one of America’s most famous seaside resort regions, echoing the culture of British coastal destinations such as Brighton.
Like Brighton, whose historic Brighton Palace Pier stretches into the English Channel and hosts amusement rides and arcades, the Wildwoods of New Jersey combine beaches, promenades, and lively entertainment into a vibrant working-class holiday destination.
A new book by New York City artist Xiomaro explores one of the Jersey Shore’s most distinctive communities. Street Photography of the Wildwoods: The Other Side of Nostalgia captures the hidden beauty and cultural contradictions of the Wildwoods, a colourful seaside resort on the southern New Jersey coast.
Published by America Through Time, an imprint of Sutton Publishing in Gloucestershire, the book is available internationally and through Blackwell’s in the UK.
Looking Beyond the Clichés
Every year more than nine million tourists visit the Wildwoods, drawn by expansive beaches, a famous boardwalk, and quirky mid-century “Doo-Wop” motel architecture.
For Xiomaro, however, the Wildwoods are more than sunshine, blue skies, and quirky retro motels. This five-mile barrier island possesses a character rarely explored in other books.
The exuberant explosion of unabashed patriotism, tattooed hipsters, flamboyantly feathered mummers, dazzling custom vehicles, and provocative political T-shirts subverts the resort’s nostalgic 1950s atmosphere. Through 160 photographs and reflective prose, Xiomaro exposes the tension between idealised mid-century America and contemporary culture, values, and politics.
The images also reveal the quieter side of the Wildwoods. During storms, winter months, and fleeting moments of solitude, the beach, boardwalk, and backstreets return to the fewer than 13,000 residents who live there year-round.
“This is far more than a book of interesting photographs,” observes Dr. Lynn L. Siebert, a professor and gallery director with over five decades of working in the arts who wrote the book’s foreword. “The emotional depth and artistic perspectives enhance our understanding of the Wildwoods’ distinctive character, natural beauty, and its unvarnished, complex, and fascinating humanity.”
Echoes of European Tradition
The Wildwoods’ festive street culture also reflects traditions carried from Europe. The region participates in the theatrical “Mummers” tradition associated with nearby Philadelphia—a celebration rooted in historic mumming customs from Britain and Ireland in which masked performers parade, perform music, and celebrate the New Year.
These traditions, brought to America by European immigrants, continue to influence the dynamic public culture found along the Jersey Shore today.
Rediscovering History and Memory
Street Photography of the Wildwoods follows Xiomaro’s acclaimed Street Photography of New York City. The artist explains that “both books reflect my work as a ‘residentographer,’ where I embed myself in a place over time to document its environment and the spirit of its people.”
The books form a throughline to his commissions for the National Park Service documenting historic sites associated with figures such as George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt.
From Cancer to Creativity
After overcoming prostate cancer in 2005, Xiomaro transitioned from a career as an entertainment lawyer representing recording artists such as Village People, Lisa Lisa, and members of The Animals.
During his recovery he found peace wandering with a camera. The reinvention was commemorated by adopting his pseudonym—“Xiomaro” (pronounced SEE-oh-MAH-ro), meaning “ready for battle.”
