Flower Man
2012
Single channel video, color, silence, loop
The silence video ‘Flower Man’ focuses on the simple and poetic gestures of giving and receiving. This simple gesture of extending one’s hand and receiving an object from a stranger pierces the barrier of anonymity that is pervasive in New York City. I am fascinated by the role of some of the city's most humble workers: flower sellers. The majority are Mexican immigrants, who are eager to remain anonymous because of their stateless status. I spent several months meeting and videotaping them as I walked around New York City, stitching together the momentary connections between strangers. This piece has cross-cultural implications in its investigation of issues of generosity and industry and how an invisible workforce provides so much itinerant beauty through their anonymous efforts.