“New York is an ugly city, a dirty city.
Its climate is a scandal, its politics are used to frighten children, its traffic is madness, its competition is murderous.

But there is one thing about it - once you have lived in New York and it has become your home,
no place else is good enough.”

― John Steinbeck, America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction

“Climate” documents life from the streets in New York City from trips between 2016-19. At a time of perceptible change both social and environmental these images are a lament to a city and the resilience of its’ people.

Meteorological events punctuate daily life and dominate headlines. A total solar eclipse and Hurricane Harvey seem to prophecise political tempests brewing. Weather reports are interspersed from the New York Times and become evidence of these passing moments, another abstract expression of the real, calm precedes the storm but is not overshadowed by it.

At a time when we have the technical ability to be perpetually connected, we tenuously try to renegotiate our relationship to our environment and to each other.

The project was influenced by “America in Crisis” 1969 featuring photographers such as Eve Arnold, Burt Glinn, Philip Jones Griffiths edited by Charles Harbutt and Lee Jones.

The ethos of their kaleidoscopic image curation, all life exists simultaneously, kindness and adversity side by side. Undogmatic and mature, complexities accepted, it feels true to me. The city seems to embrace these very paradoxes and to me thats what make it so worthy of celebration.

Music: Al Green - A Change Is Gonna Come
Vocals: Unknown subway busker