Processes
These photographs portray the day-to-day routines of three individuals labouring in their trade in the storefronts of Vancouver’s Chinatown. Taken at a distance in black and white, they attempt to evoke a sense of melancholy and frailty. Although these photographs capture portraits of individuals, by extension of having these three photos grouped together, they produce a story of a people – a culture. In each of these photos is a moment of stasis: the mid-afternoon lull of a work day, the unchanged motions of tradition practiced for generations, and an insignificant moment in each of their lives. Yet, this apparent stillness is in the midst of powerful changes. The pressures of economic forces threaten the livelihoods of these daily cultural routines while modern cafés, restaurants, boutiques, and condos are encroaching upon their limited spaces. And as this generation ages, their traditions and culture are increasingly being abandoned by the youth. These photographs archive a step in the process of change.
Taken on March 19, 2016