The derelict past of New York City’s Lower East Side is now but a memory as blocks of abandoned apartment buildings have given way to endless trendy eateries and $2,000 per month studio apartments.
But a photographer who once found herself living among the self-reliant squatters who made their DIY homes in the neighborhood in the 1990s is telling their stories through intimate portraits of the bygone era.
Ash Thayer’s Kill City: Lower East Side Squatters 1992-2000 captures the bohemia as it was: an enclave of derelict buildings taken over by vibrant outcasts who used found materials and gumption to turn the city’s cast-off properties into their homes.
Portrait of an era: Ash Thayer’s book Kill City: Lower East Side Squatters 1992-2000 documents her experiences, and those of her cohorts, as a squatter in the Manhattan of the 1990s. Picture: Meggin and Jill Dancing, Fifth Street Squat, 1996
Squatters: The squatters of the Lower East Side made their homes in buildings long abandoned by the city following the downturn of the 1970s
Demolition days: The squatters used found materials, passed-on know-how and gumption to create homes where once lay only ruins Pictured: Toby on a Demolition Day, Fifth Street Squat, 1994 (left). Beer Olympics I, Williamsburg, 1994 (right)
Thayer herself lived in several LES squats, giving her unique access to people who were generally unwelcoming to outsiders. Pictured: Girl Reading in Doorway of Serenity House, 1997
Related Posts
Meiyazhagan Trailer: Karthi, Arvind Swami in an emotional tale of two men
Meiyazhagan starring Karthi, Arvind Swami in the lead is an upcoming comedy drama that is slated to release on September 27, 2024. The movie, directed by C Prem…
Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life Sets New Record with 149.7 Crore OTT Deal, Surpassing Kollywood’s Biggest Films!
Mani Ratnam’s upcoming film Thug Life stars Kamal Haasan in the lead role. Raaj Kamal Films International (RKFI), Madras Talkies, and Red Giant Movies co-produced the film, which stars Kamal…
Lubber Pandhu Reviews: Celebrities in praise of Kollywood’s latest sports-drama Tamil Movie, Music Reviews and News
Lubber Pandhu starring Harish Kalyan and Attakathi Dinesh in the lead, released in theaters on September 20, 2024, and the sports-drama based on regional cricket has garnered a ton of…
‘The Deliverance’ trailer: Netflix spent a lot of money on this horror film from director Lee Daniels
Netflix reportedly paid $65 million for the rights to The Deliverance in a close bidding war, as you may recall, and the streaming service unveiled the film’s…
Mirrors 3: 2024 teaser trailer reveals chilling new horrors
The trailer for “Mirrors 3” has finally been released, promising to deliver a chilling experience for horror fans. This third installment of the “Mirrors” franchise, which is…
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝟐: 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫 — 𝐓𝐫a𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒)
Horror fans, get ready! The chilling and atmospheric horror film “The Mist” is back with a highly-anticipated sequel. “The Mist 2” promises to delve even deeper into…