ICP Teen Academy
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JD Noonan
Music has always been a powerful way for people to connect and express themselves. From mosh pits to silent subway rides home, and absolutely everything in between, we have developed a community that transcends just music—though the music is, indeed, key. It bonds and empowers us as a collective; one is never alone in a crowd. We find a sort of family in that crowd, a very unique community. This family is present in many other aspects of life besides music; they are there when we need emotional support, a place to crash, or someone to get us home safely. No one in the alternative music scene conforms. Whether it is in their words or the way they present themselves, every single audience member goes beyond the norm. This is what draws us all together—the feeling of being an outsider in a world where everything that could possibly happen is going on at once. We have found solace in the screaming and the headbanging, and I have documented these fleeting moments in an attempt to further understand, and help others understand, how we create a sense of home in the midst of chaos.
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JD Noonan has been photographing since the fifth grade. Born and raised in New York City, he started by creating
macro images in his garden in Queens. In the summer of 2023, JD began taking
photography more seriously while at the International Center of Photography and
has been photographing concerts, street life, and portraits ever since. JD is
currently a student in ICP’s Teen Academy Imagemakers program. He strives to
connect with his subjects, learn from them, and make them feel good about
themselves. He enjoys fun colors, strained facial expressions, and unique
humans. JD’s goal is to go to school in Philadelphia for music journalism, and maybe someday travel with a band. Sometimes, his work
is a space for him to escape reality and sometimes, to become more in touch
with it.