City of Color
Category
Photojournalism
Having spent 15 years calling NY my home, I always had the perception that New York was a place devoid of color—often choosing to fill my apartment with objects and furniture that leaned heavily towards the more vibrant side of things. Having now been gone for 6 years, and having been back somewhat regularly to observe the numerous changes to the city, the most striking thing that seems to have occurred is the shift in color.
The culture shift of everyone adorning themselves with black cloth seems to have shifted, and the streets themselves are often painted, muraled, bright. As I now live in a region where walking is done on paths, along creeks, surrounded by lush green & the ever-changing color scheme of each season (wintery super white not included) being able to just walk is always something I miss being able to do. The opportunity to just step outside and walk.
And it used to be that I never really felt compelled to bring a camera. The streets were gray, the buildings grayer, and the people - while interesting and eccentric - also gray. But that all seems to have changed. Color seems to be everywhere, self-expression seems to have found new embrace, and the drabness seems to all but have vanished.
Maybe it's a sign of the times, where our expenses outweigh our luxuries and we're shifting towards gaudiness to spark that little bit of joy in our lives when everything else seems so grim—doesn't matter what the reasoning, it's welcome.
And for as much as NY has changed and no longer resembles the city that I fell in love with, this is one of the few things that can be embraced and celebrated—even if the murals are sponsored by Google.
