Now, living in Brooklyn, I see a similar cycle. Brownstones and warehouses are being replaced by mass-produced, generic high rises. However, unlike my parents’ generation, these products are geared towards the affluent consumer – raising the price of the American Dream beyond the average person’s reach.

Why did you choose collage as a medium to explore urban change?

Collage, from a technical perspective, is similar to architecture in that I can use these strips of paper to construct buildings and landscapes. It also allows for limitless flexibility – I can build over existing work, replace it entirely, make an addition a year later – similar to the actual development of urban spaces. But unlike actual construction, collage allows me to “mash up” landscapes inspired by different locations and periods of time to reinforce the issues that I address.
     From a formal perspective, cut paper a is method of blocking out color and pushing and pulling space. This collage process demands time and meticulous patience, unlike the fast and cheap method of mass production.

How do you choose what buildings and places to portray?

All of my pieces begin with a long walk. Walking in Greenpoint, other New York neighborhoods or places I visit outside of the city allows me to study the visual patterns created by population density. I’m interested in architectural organization and its interaction with the natural surroundings.