“Untitled, Brewerytown”
Hannah Price grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado and had never truly experienced street harassment until she moved to Philadelphia. If you’ve ever walked around in a big city (New York is definitely no exception), you’ve felt the horrible effects of street harassment. Street harassment makes you feel like that nightmare we’ve all had where you step into class or your office and realize you’re naked; except you’re not naked – you may be in sweatpants or jeans or even a Parka for all I care, but you’re made to feel as if you’re naked or on display. When this happens you usually keep your eyes glued to the ground and walk quicker or (if you’re feeling ballsy enough) glare at the person who whistled at you. Well Hannah Price had a different reaction: she took a picture.
In an interview with The Morning News, Price described how the new experience of street harassment initially “threw her off guard” (unlike the veteran ladies of NYC #awesome). She described what happens when she turns the camera on her harassers: “Once a guy catcalls me, depending on the situation, I would either candidly take their photograph or walk up to them and ask if I can take their photograph. They usually agree and we talk about our lives as I make their portrait.” The series of pictures are perfectly dubbed City of Brother Love.
Looking at the photos I initially had an “Aha! Caught you sucker!” moment. Then I got really sad because there are so many portraits. Men – young and old – are featured in this series. The aspect of anonymity is completely removed from the situation when the camera is turned on them. These men are now on display. Looking at them, I realized they’re not menacing beasts with three eyes, but regular, normal-looking men. The scariest part is it would make me feel better if Price had turned around and saw a beast with three eyes; instead she captures a regular person who has deemed it socially acceptable to verbally harass another human being.
The series of photos are riveting. Check them out below:
“Untitled, Fishtown”
“Walking from CVS, West Philly”
“Every day after work, West Philly”
“Chaq, North Philly”
“Kiss Kiss, West Philly”
Have you ever been verbally harassed? Tell us your experience in the comment section.
Thanks to The Morning News and TheFrisky
And the most thanks to Hannah Price because you’re awesome. Check all of her portraits out on her website.
