A new body of work by Michael Chase is an untitled series that apprises the despondent atmosphere he experienced during his month-long visit to New York City in August, 2013.
The speckled paint I layered over the building is a reminder of the imperfections that cover every surface, even those we can’t see with the naked eye. It took me quite a few shots before I was able to ‘cram’ the building into the frame like I wanted. I did this to emphasize how little space there is to live.
Most people will never make enough money to live in a place like this. I layered a picture of a shattered window on top of this nice, clean apartment building to reflect how broke I am. A bank security guard gave his approval of this shot.
This image is meant to accentuate the rampant vandalism throughout the city. I thought about the subconscious effect of seeing this kind of destruction everywhere. I walked by one tag nearly every day that read, “New York Kills Artists.”
This was a tower in the financial district. I regret not finding out the names of the buildings I took pictures of. I wondered how many of the offices were actually in use and what exactly business people did all day.
Sometimes I felt like a ghost watching the entire world fall apart and disappear from my eyes. This image sums up a lot of the somber feelings I experienced during my stay. I think the texture makes the wall look like it’s disintegrating.
I lived in a loft on the top floor of this yarn factory. It was covered inside and out with graffiti and smelled like paint fumes. The roof had some of the most beautiful textures I’ve ever seen. I woke up to an incredible view of the city every single day. I met a lot of kind and talented people here.
All images © Michael Chase