Downtown Manhattan Art Exhibition – Reception & Artist Panel

✨ New Art Exhibit Opening in Downtown Manhattan Art Spaces

✨ 409 Art Space (409 Poyntz Ave) &

Midtown Plaza Art Space (116 S. 4th Street) 

Celebrate an evening of art, inspiration, and community as we welcome featured artist Felix Jimenez for the opening of a new exhibition “Townies” at Midtown Plaza on Saturday, August 1st from 5–7 PM.

Felix Jimenez’s work brings a distinctive creative voice to Downtown Manhattan, inviting viewers to explore powerful themes, unique perspectives, and artistic expression through his featured collection.

Join us for the opening reception, connect with fellow art lovers, and stay for the Artist Panel Discussion at 6:00 PM, where artists will share stories, inspiration, and insight into their creative process.

I started “Townies” for two simple reasons. First, I was tired of the idealized version of Manhattan that only exists in stock photos and tourist ads. I wanted to show that there is real beauty in showing the unfiltered version of this wonderful town. Secondly, Manhattan, KS hasn’t really been featured in street style photography and I wanted to prove to myself that Manhattan, or any Kansas town for that matter, could yield amazing street photography. In my attempt to strip all varnish and glossiness away, I found the pulse of a sleepy town growing into city. I found its rhythm. This project gave me the opportunity to closely observe how Manhattan lives. I observed how it acts when it is indifferent, when it is happy, when it hates, when it shows solidarity, when it isolates, and when it embraces. These photos are a glimpse into the beating heart of Manhattan, the town in Flint Hills, a reflection of us all.

Hi I’m Felix. For me, photography is a way to pull a moment out of reality and frame it in a way that makes you want to stay there. I’m drawn to images that feel both real and imagined, where the frame sits on the edge between documentary and staged.

I started taking photos because I was tired of the lie, the idealized version of Kansas that exists only in stock photography and tourism ads. I wanted to show the real thing: the guy sleeping behind the church, the person sitting alone at the coffee shop, the light cutting across a parking lot. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Color gives people an escape route. It lets them attach their own feelings, emotions, and their own filters to an image. Black and white removes the exit while still allowing those feelings to amplify. You cannot hide from it.

At the center of my work are people, their energy, character, and vulnerabilities. I’m inspired by human stories, gestures, and glances, by the way a person reveals beauty through simply being themselves. I love noticing small details, mixing the unexpected, and chasing that one frame that hits straight to the heart.

I like to think of my style as classic, with a hint of artsy. I believe in authenticity. I believe in the real moment. I am laid back, positive, and passionate. Beyond that, I want to keep developing my own visual language and continue to create projects that inspire and move people emotionally.

Photography, for me, is a diary, a conversation with the world, a way to surprise myself again and again. My goal with every photo is simply to make the mundane and ordinary beautiful, and to remind you that there is beauty all around us, if you know where to look. I’ve spent years learning to see things most people walk past. Now, I am honored to help you see every extraordinary thing you walk by and miss.