For over a decade, Suitcase Joe the anonymous LA based photographer has documented the inhabitants of Skid Row.
Unflinching, powerful images capture this man made ‘city’ created from the depths (and necessity) of poverty. Undoubtedly [Skid Row] is a product of the ongoing socio/political and financial fiasco in the US; the divide between rich and poor grows exponentially.
Suitcase Joe embarks on a new photographic journey going beyond “ those said four square miles” with his second book, Grey Flowers (published by Burn Barrel Press).
In a book that “lifted him out of depression”, Suitcase Joe finds those who “shine in a different way”.
It’s a journey into unconventional poignant beauty where (in part) we marvel and at the same time hide from the endeavour of humans to survive even in the midst trauma.
My goal is to capture the humanity of people and take a photo they would be proud of. Sometimes the people and places I photograph are considered fringe or part of the underworld.
Ultimately what drives my work is my never-ending curiosity and lust for adventure. I wanna go everywhere and most especially the places I’m encouraged not to go.
To me Grey Flowers are the ones who carry a rare beauty that you gotta dig a little deeper for. It gives it all more value when you find it. That rare beauty is also what I search for in my work. A subtle poetic-ness without being too heavy handed with it. I’m a grey flower, too.
exploiting people’s pain for images- I have mixed feelings about that. A photo can change the whole world’s perspective but I don’t understand this idea that we all have to answer to, or, be considerate of the public when we are making our art. We don’t. Fuck’em. Take the goddamn photo.
She is not OK. Like many of the women living on the street she has been prayed upon. When asked by a resident of Skid Row if she would like some clothes she declined. When this street resident told her why he thought it would be a good idea for her to wear it, her reply was, “What could they possibly do to me that they haven’t already.”
I need constant stimulation. I’m terrified of boredom. Boredom is my death.
PRE-ORDER GREY FLOWERS HERE