Thresholds
The residents of Sand City face a new challenge as the cultural shifts associated with gentrification begin to impact their city. This provocation feels incredibly personal for me, as I have made this small coastal community my home for nearly a decade. With many of the relationships I have built here under threat and my sense of place tenuous, I feel compelled to make photographs representing the beginning of this story that is still being written.
Thresholds celebrates what Sand City is, what it means to those who call it home, and what they feel is in danger of being lost. As anticipation of change and threat of displacement charge Sand City with unease, there is a concerted effort being made to offset this anxiety with a renewed respect for the constellation of experiences that has made Sand City a place worth investing in.The immediate implication that corporate development of Sand City has for my community illustrates the need for a critical response to the tangible feelings of nostalgia, loss, and pride.
With just under 400 residents inhabiting the half-mile of its land boundary, every displacement of an artisan, entrepreneur, or resident is acutely felt. The threat of losing a home or workspace is no longer imagined, but experienced. This experience is more than a geographic transition of residents and businesses; it represents the dissolution of an idiosyncratic community and there are echoes that point to larger patterns overwhelming the cultural climate of California.
Thresholds is a visual diary of home that explores what this concept means to me and my community. These images celebrate the uniqueness of Sand City while also providing a striking reminder of the impermanence of these experiences.
Thresholds is generously supported by a LEAP Grant from the Arts Council for Monterey County.
