Untitled Gaze began while looking for unique elements from various bars throughout Manhattan. I was looking for a symbol or form that wouldn’t normally be found in a bar. While searching, I became more aware of the patrons, especially those who were alone.
Solitary figures in a very public space. A flood of questions arose.
What or who are they waiting for? What are they staring at? Have the effects of the alcohol set in?
The mind creates questions; the camera creates answers. I set out to photograph, using the point of view of these individuals. Without looking at their phones, how did they fill the void? What would their eye focus on? In their inebriated state, what do they see? Focusing on singular item or area, I began to create abstractions of what they might see. Drawing inspiration from Uta Barth and Saul Leiter, I looked for things that might catch their eyes as they looked around from their barstool.
