The Life Behind Them was inspired by my experience living in apartment buildings and the small and intimate glimpses into people’s lives that I get on a daily basis. 

The installation includes two building models which were designed in the likeness of two residential buildings in my own neighbourhood. The screen portion of the piece, includes two videos collages which project onto the residential building models one after the other, as if they are speaking and responding to each other. The photos used for the video collage were all taken using disposable cameras by five of my closest friends and myself. And I have also composited some hand-drawn animation over certain parts of the video collage which were chosen to activate sound cues, and I have created a soundscape composed of indiscriminate sounds and city ambiance to go with the collage.

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I made this piece to reflect on the idea of living in close proximity to people who I will never meet. I am often inspired by the sounds I hear in the walk from my door to the elevator. By the smells of the food being made by my neighbours and by the fighting I hear between families as I try to sleep at night. This piece was made out of the obsession and admiration I have for the strangers who I know such intimate details about. My project is meant to honour these tiny glances into their lives and homes.

To the left are images from the project process. Documentation includes initial sketches, 3D design mockups, the building process, and the installation view.

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Below you can see the video collage.

2019