SocialDocumentary.net | Jeffrey Stockbridge | Kensington Blues (In Progress)

Photographer: Jeffrey Stockbridge

Title: Kensington Blues (In Progress)

Location: United States

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Exhibit Abstract

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Exhibit Abstract

Tic Tac and Tootsie, aka Carrol and Shelly, sit on the stoop of an abandoned house opposite the Huntingdon Street EL station on Kensington Avenue. The 20 year old twin sisters have been living on the street for 1 year, working as prostitutes in order to get by.

The only reason why we are out here is so that we can get money so we has somewhere to rest our heads. We look out for each other, if I canâ€™t get money she gets it and whatever money we get we share. Our money is together, my money is her money, her money is my money. Thereâ€™s are a lot of guys that pick you up and then they try to tell you theyâ€™re an undercover cop, that if you donâ€™t have sex with them theyâ€™re gonna lock you up. We need quick money cause we need somewheres to sleep every day. I mean trust me we donâ€™t want to be out here doing this. This is the last thing I want to do. But I do what I have to do to take care of my sister. Cause sheâ€™s all I got and Iâ€™m all sheâ€™s got. -Shelly

Kensington Blues focuses on the men, women and children who struggle to survive along Kensington Ave in North Philadelphia. Shadowed by the El train, the Ave runs approx 3 miles into North East Philly. Under the El, drug use and prostitution are widespread. Many residents are caught in a loosing battle with their drug addiction and live day-to-day to supply their habit. This drama unfolds every day on the Ave as if it were a stage, and the rush of El train above its curtain. I began taking photographs in Kensington during the winter of 2008. Borrowing from both fine-art and documentary practices, my work explores the state of mind of those who struggle to survive the neighborhood and themselves. Using photography, audio recordings and journal entries, I collaborate with those I photograph to facilitate the telling of their stories. By utilizing first person story telling, my goal is to tap into the hearts and minds of my subjects and viewers equally, drawing forth the human condition and encouraging compassion for one another despite the vast differences between us.

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I began photographing the residents who live along Kensington Avenue during the winter of 2008. Living in a neighborhood overcome by drug use and prostitution, the people I photograph maintain a feeble balance with survival. The constant threat of drug-related violence looms heavily, yet its weight has lead to a certain amount of acceptance. Dealers, addicts and prostitutes roam the streets unabashedly. Addicts selling needles, prostitutes selling sex and dealers selling Heroin and Suboxone alike. There is no denial. In it’s place is a collective acknowledgement that for better or worse those who live along the Ave are living together, united by the harsh realities they face and their quest to survive.

When I first started photographing along Kensington Ave, my focus was on prostitution. The women I was meeting and photographing told me harrowing tales of violence, addiction and how they fought to survive. I would come home at night and their stories would stick with me. I felt that it was necessary to find a way to incorporate these stories within the project so I began recording them without knowing exactly what I was going to do with them. I introduced a journal and asked people to share their thoughts. I basically became a story collector, which isn’t really any different from being a photographer as I see it.

I started kensingtonblues.com as a way to help me to organize and formulate ideas about my work. It’s been a vital part of not only sharing the work, but also creating it. It allows me to experiment with combining images with audio and incorporate first person storytelling. Kensington Blues is a work in progress and it’s final destination is still unknown. By comparing where I started with where I’m headed, I’ve been able to tracking my progress and look for new directions. My ultimate goal is to tap into the hearts and minds of my subjects and viewers equally, drawing forth the human condition and encouraging compassion for one another despite the vast differences between us.

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