CHRIS SHEPHERD

Vacancy

I showed images from this ongoing series back in 2008 in the members space of Gallery 44, Toronto. At that time, I called the show Outside. This referenced me being outside of the interior spaces when I shot them. All this work is taken through windows or doors looking into the spaces pictured. Initially this was the only way to gain access to these rooms. Over time, shooting through the glass became second nature and I enjoyed it.

Most of these spaces are spots between tenants, and often remain vacant for years or even decades. There’s never ever anyone in them, and no one is watching or questioning what I’m doing.

I think of these vacancies as haunted by the spirits of former tenants, but not necessarily in a superstitious or paranormal way. It seems reasonable to me that people who moved within these spaces, or inhabited them, sloughed off cells and particles as they did so. They left little bits of themselves in these spaces and in so doing imbued the floors and walls with a sense of themselves, even though the spaces themselves are now empty.