My story is not unique. As I reflect on the hellscape of 2020, I am grateful for my life.
Four different seasons, four different lives. If only the “me” in January could see me now; the irony is immaculate. I was forced to come to terms with who I was, what I felt, and what that meant for the future. I plowed my foundation, and started building a new one. It was terrifying, but growth is rarely comfortable.
Each season brought a new sense of normalcy. Memorializing this concept has helped shift my perspective; change is out of our control, all we can do is enjoy what we have when we can. I developed a year’s worth of 35mm film to create a “time-capsule collage”. The messy/chaotic arrangement emulates feelings of emotional turmoil, even when surrounded by people you love. The ‘old’ New York consists of a past life I thought would last forever… happy times always have a half-life, huh? The ‘new’ New York, even as new as it was, is already a memory of the past. Things are always changing. New York has not. This serves as an homage to the one thing that has stayed stable my entire life. When I grow up, I want to be just like you: Thanks New York.
Chava DiMaio is a trans-BIPOC artist currently residing in New York. Juggling part-time work with full-time passions, Chava utilizes his insomnia to produce/distribute original AV compositions from a dog bed on the basement floor. No matter where, when, or what; Chava works to create a space of inclusion and empathetic nostalgia. (www.chavadimaio.com/whaticreate/nuevayork)