Suburbia series, 2021
by Emil Vargas
This piece, part of the series Metropolis, Suburbia, investigates the nature and characteristics of suburban neighbourhoods, understanding them as satellite to, and in part defined by, their neighbouring metropolis. I aim to present these places along with the uncanny feelings they evoke through their liminal nature as they appear at night; dimly lit from the outside and often emitting light from within, hinting at an unseen presence.
This piece is part of a series exploring suburbia as a global phenomenon. This iteration focuses on Vancouver’s suburbs. Exploring different areas across the city and suburbs that emerged in different periods has allowed me to discover commonalities in the spaces.
Photographing at night, when people are asleep, and the streets are quiet, presents the opportunity to evoke an eerie atmosphere. The long exposure allows the film to become exposed with certain tones that we humans cannot see with our eyes but can be captured by the camera, positioning the viewer inside a dream-like reality.
492, 2021.