Shadows Among Sculptures: Elizabeth Street In Monochrome

Lower Manhattan’s Elizabeth Street Garden faces demolition to make way for an affordable

housing development, reigniting a decade-long legal battle. This 20,000-square-foot space is

more than just greenery—it’s a rare refuge in a park-deprived neighborhood, cooling the city’s

heat, supporting biodiversity, and offering a quiet escape from urban life.

This project consists entirely of close-up images that highlight the garden’s fragility through its

physical details—cracks in the pavement, weathered tools, scattered leaves, and the resilience

of nature pushing against encroaching development. The black-and-white aesthetic strips away

distractions, emphasizing loss and perseverance in the face of urbanization. Each image serves

as a quiet testament to what may soon disappear, urging reflection on how progress reshapes

our environment.

By focusing solely on objects and landscapes, the series evokes a human presence without

directly showing people. Every discarded tool, eroded statue, and overgrown pathway hints at

the labor and care that sustain this space. The tension between preservation and development

unfolds in textures, decay, and the stark contrast between nature and construction. As the future

of this space remains uncertain, my work documents not just what is, but what could be

lost—inviting viewers to consider what we value in a rapidly changing city.