Herself a longtime resident of the Chelsea Hotel, photographer Rita Barros, recognized the legions of struggling painters, designers, sculptors, and performers residing at the hotel as the greatest contributors to its continuing creative allure. Aware that almost two decades have passed since a book on this subject was last compiled, she therefore, set out to gather all the images she has taken in the l5 years she has lived in the hotel. Another distinguishing aspect is how Barros' focus extends beyond the subject themselves: noting the apartments reflect not only the tastes and character of the current tenant as well as the historical and spiritual ambience of famed tenants past. Barros focuses on the detail of the surroundings as well, allowing the viewer a glimpse of the environment which influences the art emerging from the hotel.

Selections of these images have already been published in such magazines as: Newsweek (Gallery section-online), NY Times.com, Art News, Italian Vogue, Brazilian Vogue, Zoom (French and International editions), Architectural Digest (Germany), Harpers & Queen (London), La Vanguardia (Spain), Expresso and Publico (Portugal).

This work has been shown in: Encontros de Coimbra (Portugal), Museu da Agua (Portugal), Museu de Arte Contemporanea de Sao Paulo (Brazil), Flash Art Fair (Milano), Secretaria do Estado da Cultura em Curitiba (Brazil), Galeria 111 in Lisbon and Oporto (Portugal), Wilfredo Lam, Contemporary Art Museum, (Havana), Paris Photo (France)