I was recently shopping at my local strip and found myself reflecting on the changes to my suburb since I first moved here more than 25 years ago. I don't think the changes have been for the better, and while I'm not happy with the changed nature and mix of businesses (do we really need THAT many cafes????), my angst is mostly directed at the increasing congestion and bustle. It's not just Bentleigh of course, but Melbourne in general, and there doesn't seem to be any respite, any day of the week or any time of day.
I'm not sure if that feeling has anything to do with a series of pictures I've been making over the last year or so, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a contributing factor. I call it "Finding Space". The images are sparsely populated, and the people depicted are often dwarfed by their surroundings, creating illusions of wide open spaces and solitude rarely found a modern metropolis. I like to think they speak to our need to have room to breathe and clear our minds in increasingly crowded cities.
Or perhaps they're just a bunch of interesting pictures. At least I hope they are.
