''There's not another building in the world that caters to this many creative people. There's some mystique within these walls that helps people produce art” (Bard, n.d).

 

Just as portrait photography functions as a semiotic representation of social identity (Bate, 2009), the Chelsea Hotel in New York City can be seen as a symbolic space that reflects cultural and social identities. This building is known for being the home of a great amount of talent. Ranging from musicians, writers, photographers, etc. The era when all this creative energy was most prominent was the 1960s and 1970s, although its flare and artistry have continued for decades. I intend to analyse a selection of photographs related to the hotel and find out why this particular building was the meeting point for so many creative geniuses, what inspired them to create here, and what connected them to each other. Essentially, I desire to look into each of these rooms in depth and attempt to understand humankind through the art they create.

In Cities and photography, Jane Tormey (2013) discusses how photography reveals social and political dynamics within urban settings. The Chelsea has been home to artists, musicians and radicals, and photos of the space reflect themes of bohemianism, counterculture and gentrification. By comparing past photographs with current ones, one clearly notices the social change from the days of artist sanctuary to gentrified luxury space. Highlighting NYC’s transformation from a centre of artistic and cultural innovation into a highly commercialised and commodified urban landscape.