This portfolio serves as one of my most prominent bodies of work and one that I care most deeply about. The portfolio is an exploration of urban resilience. I went to high school in downtown Cleveland which allowed me to explore the city in an intimate way and ultimately bring light to people and places that are unseen and unheard.
The pieces are not displayed in any particular order but each have a reason for being in this portfolio. This first piece seems to depict the portfolio most fully. It is called “From the same colors” and acts as a commentary on the role of race in urban settings. I am seeking to highlight the interconnectedness of all individuals and highlight the light and color everyone share through their story and personality.
Charles was one of the first homeless men I became friends with in Cleveland. Charles was a Vietnam veteran whose family lived in Charleston South Carolina and he hopes to work in construction one day. I would see Charles in the same place every week for a whole summer where we would talk and sometimes have lunch together. Charles is the kind of guy who will make you smile but unfortunately because of he is homeless he is oftentimes seen as dirty, scary, or a failure. Charles is most definitely none of those things and in this piece I sought to highlight his personality.
The piece above is intended to highlight the resilience of environment. Underneath this bridge and the surrounding area was not pleasant at first glance but this piece intends to highlight the way unexpected places can present us with beauty.
The next three pieces were inspired by many of the homeless men I met each week during the creation of this portfolio. Each of these men I have met have an incredibly story and optimism in life.
This piece features trash that I collected in Cleveland and collaged into a piece. I then juxtaposed this piece in a similar manner with nature, again highlighting the resilience of something, in this case trash, that appear unwanted but can be much different when taken from a different perspective. While I am not advocating for more trash of course, I do find the idea of perception in this case to be important i.e. a city full of trash seen differently. Feel free to read more about this piece found in the projects page.
This last piece was made during COVID-19 isolation. It features nearly 100 photos of friends and family collaged to make a bigger portrait. As this portfolio eventually transformed into one more so about COVID (see Good News portfolio), this piece is well suited for this portfolio as well. The piece highlights the individual contributions we each make to something bigger. As my urban resilience portfolio sought to bring dignity to the unseen people places in the city, this piece intends to highlight the idea of dignity and the way we each contribute to something bigger.
