| 16 mm film transferred to DVD (2007) 16 minutes Stereo sound Black/white Camera: Redmond Entwistle & Nanna Debois Buhl Sound: Pejk Malinovski
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The starting point for the film Other Halves is Jacob Riis’ photographic investigation "How the Other Half Lives” of the living conditions in the tenement areas of New York City in the 1880’s. While Riis’ work is one of political commentary and social engagement, it is also a work of sometimes problematic working practices.
Considering the role of documentary photography in the writing of history, the film combines archival material and new footage from the area around Mulberry Bend where Riis collected most of his sources.
The format of the film, primarily composed by black & white still images, is inspired by Jacob Riis’ lantern lectures in which he presented his observations of the tenement areas of New York. While moving through the area, today’s Chinatown, the voice-over of the film considers Riis’ photography, and what it means to read these photographic documents 100 years after they were produced.
The film was shown in a live context in the show “Cabaret-Tribunale”, Judson Memorial Church, New York, USA / Plex, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Stills from “Other Halves”