Ms. Elizabeth didn't think I paid attention in third grade, and to be honest, I was slightly more interested in exploring the details surrounding me in the classroom than in her lesson. I'd often get into trouble for admiring the sunlight on her desk, the shadows of the blinds, the wall decorations, the floor patterns, and whatever lurked behind the blackboard. But that was what interested me.
My tendency to seek interest where others see routine still persists and is a common theme of my personal and artistic journey. At ten, I created my first movie featuring graffiti-covered walls because they looked "so cool," I didn't want to forget ever seeing them. I still document street art as it is a remarkable form of expression, but today, I also capture everyday images, architectural details, and spontaneous moments.
On the surface, my art is a social, architectural, and cultural documentation of New York City. But, on a deeper level, I'm also trying to expose a story of truth and beauty in the mundane and marginalized. And this requires observation beyond the surface. For instance, my photo "Gritty City" shows the stillness and beauty of a building's exterior, which many would miss; "Numbing The Truth" depicts a man lost in thoughts while smoking a joint in Times Square, "Junkyard Grass" unveils unexpected beauty in the junkyard, my film "Caught Red Handed" conveys a message of curiosity and truth lying in the seemingly mundane.
My artistic calling solidified in high school through two fellowships: one for film at Ghetto Film School in the Bronx and another for photography at NYC SALT. Beyond learning the technical aspects of shooting, I discovered how to create a powerful visual narrative. A critical moment came during a still-life shoot when I photographed "The Future Is Now," a portrait of a music cassette I found on the street. I noticed the cassette's fractures, scratches, and wear and saw life beyond its prime, but the object revived through my lens into something beautiful. I could make people remember, question, think, rethink, feel, and learn by showcasing it. A once-great technology was obsolete and lying in the gutter until someone took a closer look. I'm always looking closer.
Film and Photography are my modes of expression; they precisely communicate what I want. I struggle to find the right words when writing, and it ends up written like a monologue. But my thoughts, messages, and words flow effortlessly through lenses, especially in film, which pulls from all facets of my creativity.
My goal in pursuing film is to present something from a different angle, help encourage a shift in perspective, or instill curiosity and a deeper understanding of what's in front of you, whether objects, structures, history, or people. I want to create narratives from what seems familiar to challenge preconceptions and maybe spark a shift in perspective. I hope my art helps viewers think more deeply so that, on a broader scale, they can also think deeply about what the world is showing or telling them rather than passively accept narratives. The music cassette's photo validated the object's past and presented it in a new light, making some viewers smile, question, think, rethink, feel, and learn. And this is what I would like my art to ultimately accomplish.
