Journal 1 Collecting + Urban Spaces

Reflecting on Brooklyn...I have known a few urban spaces in my life, but New York City was my home for the past seven years.
This photograph, a part of my collection project is from the roof of my Brooklyn apartment. City views are so desired in Brooklyn, but I enjoyed Brooklyn so much more. Brooklyn had so many varied neighborhoods that truly identified ones socioeconomic status upon mention. For example, "oh I live in Williamsburg" meant that either than person was a twenty-something hipster whose parents were paying for their New York adventure, or they lived near Bushwick in a roach infested space with five other roomates. I lived in Bed-Stuy, home of the Marcy Projects, Biggie, Jay-Z, Nas and me. I lived in Clinton Hill too, home to Pratt Institute, adjacent to Fort Greene and an old haunt of Walt Whitman. I used to walk around Fort Greene park and image revolutionary war cannons or Walt Whitman walking around being inspired to write. It is a place where ideas can come to you out of nowhere as if you are quelling from the collective unconscious of the city. There is really nowhere like it.

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