The work of editorial photographer Peter Hoffman’s project “Bryan House” has been popping up on the Aphotoaday listserv, and it’s a project worth highlighting here. The use of medium format, blend of documentary and fine art photography, and the subtle use of form and shape gives this project a multi-dimensional feel. Think of the snow-covered table and upended mattress as a fine-art foundation, contrasted nicely against the documentary feel of the building and sweeping lady. The portraiture doesn’t rely on complexity — it allows the subjects to speak directly to the viewer. And from a photographer’s perspective, the overall project shows that Peter approached his subjects with a vigor of inquiry and a thirst for understanding. Good stuff — I wish I could have displayed more. I’ll let Peter tell you a little about the piece in his own words, and when you’re finished please take a moment to see the rest of his project, among other nice works.
The Bryan House is a home for refugees located on the West side of the largest suburb of Chicago, Aurora, Ill.
It was named in honor of the founder’s younger brother, Bryan Guzman, who drowned in Lake Michigan on Dec 9, 2006 while walking his girlfriend’s dog.
Founders Rick and Desiree Guzman have been active in assisting Aurora and other suburban refugees resettle since around 2002, often letting refugees live in their basement while saving up money as opposed to paying for often less than safe public housing, or inadequate apartment complexes.
The Bryan House, which has just reached filled all five units for the first time since its beginning, is a progressive model of refugee assistance. As refugees live in the home, they pay current market value rent to Rick and Desiree, who then invest the money monthly during the duration of the refugee family’s stay. As the family moves out of the home, their rent payments with accrued interest are then returned to the family, in the hopes that they will have enough for a down payment on a home, or a chunk of a child’s college tuition, etc. Families must apply to get a space in the home and demonstrate consistent income generation.
The House has been undergoing renovation since spring 2008 and I have been documenting the home sporadically since then. My goal is to capture the essence of the place and the people who occupy it, their adjustment to a new life, their transition, and the strong sense of purpose that each person holds, and that the house holds as a unit. It is not a linear story but rather an essay that is much a personal emotional response to this fascinating place as it is anything else. As families move in and out every year or so I intend to document the new living space, at this point, this project is very much in the beginning phases.
Above: Bryan House, photography by Peter Hoffman, used with permission.
Post a Comment