Ira Merritt’s images begin with the photographic process and then evolve through assemblage, montage, collage, and printmaking; to create edgy fractured remnants of a disenfranchised population. Ira considers himself to be a deconstructive – reconstructive artist in that he finds elements of our culture and re-imagines them as if they were found by another society in the future and used by those people for purposes other than their intended use. He also likes to montage images and writings on walls juxtaposing unrelated images on top of each other to create new meanings or messages from the underground. Ira has exhibited in many venues in The Bronx and Manhattan including: Lehman College, The Longwood Arts Gallery, Krasdale Food Gallery, The Taiwan Cultural Center, The International Center of Photography, and the Clemente Soto Velez Gallery. Ira has had two solo photo exhibits at the Vladick Hall in The Bronx through grants from the NYC Department of Cultural affairs, He had a one man show of his etchings at The School of Visual Arts through the Continuing Education Department and he had a one man show of photographs at The Bronx Museum satellite gallery in Westchester Square.