Long Shadows
This project is about the transitional periods in adult life. The in-betweens. Leaving one’s childhood home can lead to questions of identity, independence, and the struggle to find a sense of belonging. This work is made in response to those questions and feelings that every human has to deal with at some point and is meant to highlight the way in which we as humans cope with change. The suddenness of the pandemic had most people, especially artists, wondering what to do next. It put a halt on many of the things I was personally looking forward to most. I think something very important during times like these is documentation. Writing, photographing, drawing, painting… Something good always comes out of sudden and unexpected change. After I moved my life to New York City I never could have expected to feel involuntarily displaced from my hometown and my family. Moving meant I was able to redefine myself and who I surround myself with, though that never comes easy to anyone. Young people not only have the stress of school and the stress of getting a job in the current state of the world, but also the stress of the individual’s battle. Finding yourself and what you are most passionate about standing up for is thrown into the mix as well. The photographs in this series are a mixture of work from my hometown of Redmond, Washington and New York City. The photos from my hometown exist to visualize the space, light and air that is synonymous with being in the comfort of my home. This work exists as a bridge, as a letter, between the space of home and my current space here in New York.
Alec Ilstrup 2024 — Brooklyn, New York