a series of murals stand along a walkway where children walk to school and back home everyday. 

this project has been about finding connection with the children of tak takut and with the neighbourhood. questions of identification and anonymity were present from the beginning. I chose to spend time and energy with the children who liked to play, run around, and in that space everything was sacred. every time i came down for a session, it was always about finding something new, finding a new connection with different kids.

i began to document in an attempt to capture these moments, and also wondered how to protect the identities of these children who simply wanted to play, but also to share the dynamism of connection. the camera was always in full view.

the choice to work with animation came because i was (am still) inspired by this kid who is an incredible animator. so i began to trace and outline bodies, engaging in the labour of animation, thinking that the answer lay in movement. but over time the movement captured in a loop of predetermined strokes felt too closed. i am often reminded of the many specific instances where children let go of things that i would find remarkable. they’re so good at being here and moving on. perhaps the work was simpler than i thought and a still image in this case, would be less imposing on the many many ways and shapes that connection and attention exists in this space.

this process of translation have made this work dear to me. from what i gather from the outside, i think the work is straightforward. it has been very nice to hear what people and most importantly the community who live there have to say about these new murals.

a large part of me made it for the people/kids of TTKC who use the long walkway to walk to school and back home everyday. i hope these traces of your friends, these familiar outlines can accompany them.