Photography-based gallery installation
Materials: N/A
Dimensions: N/A
Completed: 2022
For the past seven years, I have lived in a gentrified “micro-suite” (250 square feet or less) at the corner of East Hastings and Columbia in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES). It is only in the last three years that I have moved to the front of my building, where I now overlook East Hastings Street and its adjacent sidewalk.
My apartment window is situated approximately 20 feet above street level, next to a powerful fluorescent light attached to the building. This light bathes the sidewalk below in a consistent white glow throughout the night, every night.
Over the past three years, I have captured over 400 images on 400 separate nights, focusing on a 12ft x 8ft slice of sidewalk directly beneath my window and next to my buildings front entrance. Between the hours of 1 AM and 4 AM, I take a photograph whenever I notice activity below. By concentrating on this specific, confined space over a significant and extended period of time, the abstract images document the conditions, significant struggles, and transient nature of life on the streets for many individuals in the broader DTES community.
Importantly, the photographs are taken in such a way that the faces of those below remain unidentifiable, preserving their anonymity while still conveying their experiences. This ongoing series will ultimately culminate in a gallery installation, inviting viewers to engage with the realities of urban life and the often-overlooked narratives of those who navigate these streets.