A YOUNG PEOPLE SERIES (IN LARGE FORMAT)

Existing in the same space, yet living consciously apart from each other. As we live in the pockets of our own space, we put a veil between us and others. This is the epitome of modern living in today’s world. 

People say that young adults are the most diverse, tolerant, and connected generations. Yet, others say that they are as narcissistic, entitled and disconnected in their own right too. These cliches and all all their wondrous Jekyll-and-Hyde contradictions are part of this photography series where I fictionalize the cultural attitudes of young adults. Living in the same space yet a tendency to not speak to one another. It begs the question if we know each other in the first place. 

INSPIRATION

The first time I encountered Gregory Crewdson’s photographs, I was transfixed by the imaginative qualities Crewdson has put in to narrate the different contradictions of life in the American suburbs. In many of his photographs, moments of dramatic realization were contrasted with surreal idylls to connote a contemporary sublime. The rich cinematic suggestion mixed with the somewhat apocalyptic scenes powers our imaginative capacities, leaving us to think of the moment before and after the scene. 

The Kerry James Marshall show at the Met Buerer further informed me of a possible compositional structure I can possibly adopt. In his paintings on both floors of the Met Buerer, symbolic objects add to our dialogue about the African-American experiences across the United States. Like Crewdson’s photographs, Marshall’s paintings feature many symbols across the frame, each adding a little information to our overall interpretation of the scene. Marshall also grounds his paintings in a narrative that revolves around the defiant assertions of blackness in a medium in which African Americans have long been invisible. His point of view is piercingly sharp, effective, and a statement that referenced a community that has been traditionally less privileged in the American society. 

CONCEPTUALIZATION

Work started in early 2017 where I started conceiving the 3 shots needed to produce this series. Since they are all photographed in 4 x 5 large format, I was aware of the aesthetic limitations behind movement and the difficulties in producing film equipment. 

Set in New York City, I imagine a staged scene with various actors / performers in the foreground and background doing different youth-related activities such as skateboarding, texting, talking, but never really deeply connecting with each other. 

The first scene would be ideally set in a typical bedroom, good for 4 or 5 people to be living in the same space. One of the talents lay down in the bed set working through his computer. The other disengaged from the world reading a magazine. These two actors set the main dynamic of the scene. They are not talking to each other, busy with their own work but the room appears to be a little more messy than it should be. Scattered around the floor are leftover trash bags, laundry and items that might not regularly be placed around the house. 

The second scene appears to be somewhere on the pedestrian bridge. The turning corner of the bridge will usually be the slowest pedestrians and the highest foot traffic, the part where there will usually be the highest probability of congregating youths. Two young girls are looking away into the view while a young couple stands at the side in contemplation of their relationship.

The last scene will be set at a picnic. Friends invited to this picnic will be engaged in doing different activities. A couple will be sleeping over each other, while one of the girls will be looking over at the distance. The bright sunny day will not deter the last lady to enjoy her sandwich. Salami and snacks are laid out across the mat.

PRODUCTION

Production took across 4 weekends, with one of the Sundays as a backup weekend for additional shoots are required. The bedroom scene was photographed first but had to be reshot as focusing problems had the artist to reject the photograph. A backup shot had to occur the three weekends after. 

Each shoot took an average of 30 minutes to 1 hour to complete. Location scouts had to be done prior to the shoot. The selected locations are the 4th street overhead bridge at Alphabet City, Emily’s Mott Street apartment and Prospect Park.