A deep sense of human connectivity lies at the center of “Out My Window”, a series of photographs that began in New York over ten years ago with sleepless, baby-feeding nights. Gail Albert Halaban had recently moved in the Big Apple from Los Angeles and her initial fear of feeling isolated in the metropolis had dissipated one night as she realized there is an undeniable sense of community between neighbors. Her photographs document and enhance the bond of local communities. Not of those gathering at weekend events on the street, but communities that exist several floors above the ground level. The windows protect the private space of the inhabitants while opening towards the unknown and offering an opportunity to feel connected. “The process of making the photographs connects neighbor to neighbor, creating community against the loneliness and overpowering scale of the city”, says Halaban. Several solo shows and two monographs later, the photographer takes the concept further. With the help of a high resolution medium format digital camera and a remote-operated wireless software, Halaban can photograph neighbors from another country. She sends her camera to local residents with instructions on how to set up the equipment and operates the camera from her room in New York. So far, she has taken images of neighbors living in Berlin, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Paris, and Bangkok, and plans to add many other cities to the list. Images courtesy of Gail Albert Halaban.
