Fugitive Topography: Jelly NYC

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Jelly NYC is a series of photographs exploring the vulnerability of Lower Manhattan: the skyline, the downtown buildings and the Statue of Liberty. The photographs evolved from a sculptural installation created for the Pratt Manhattan Gallery in 2011. Jelly NYC continues the themes and processes explored in my earlier Fugitive Topography: Cityscapes in Jell-O series, featuring urban landmarks of San Francisco.

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Working with Jell-O and other gelatinous materials enabled me to play the role of architect and reimagine New York City. The material took unexpected turns as it bent, glistened and melted, revealing the hidden fragility of the familiar city grid. The buildings in Jelly NYC assume a human quality as they lean on one another for support.

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The uncertainties of the urban landscape have inspired me to explore the ephemeral nature of various materials, whose traces can only be represented through documentary means. These processes also shift the perspective and scale of the constructed environments, inviting viewers to examine the iconic city of New York at an unfamiliar, yet intimate level.

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Check out photos of the installation here!