People over property
Photography, collage, Street Art Series - Philadelphia, PA
This series of photo collages was inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests that took place in Philadelphia in 2020. As I participated in these protests, I was struck by the range of emotions and experiences that people were bringing to the streets. At times, the atmosphere was electric, with protesters chanting and shouting for change. At other times, there was a sense of calm and togetherness, with people sharing stories, friendly conversation, and even playing singing bowls.
The photos in this series were taken on a day when only a small group of less than 100 was gathered outside of City Hall in Philadelphia. The national guard had blocked off the street between City Hall and the records building, and tanks and armed guards lined the barrier fence. Despite the intimidating presence of the authorities, the protesters continued to make their voices heard, calling for justice and an end to police brutality.
Not all of the photos in this series were taken in Philadelphia on that day. In fact, I was inspired to go back through my travel photography and select additional images that fit with the themes of this project. I found that my photos from Washington D.C. and some nature photography made for a great, colorful contrast to the stark black and white photos I took in the city.
To capture the spirit of the protests, I overlaid the images with words based on the chants and conversations I heard at the demonstrations, as well as quotes I had found while learning about the movement. It's important to note that these words do not necessarily represent the views of the Black Lives Matter movement as a whole, but rather reflect my own personal experience and perspective.
I shared these collages as a series of paste-ups in Philadelphia, and received a positive response from at least one passerby who complimented the work as I was putting it up on a wall. I hope that these images will inspire others to join the fight for justice and equality, and give them the courage to speak out against the injustice and discrimination that they see in their everyday lives.
