April 29, 2014: Brightening Calgary’s Worst Block (as seen in FFWD Weekly)
CALGARY – Jonathan Sunstrum, who rents the storefront at 125 7th Ave. SW, watches the transit traffic from the top of the building after shovelling snow to slow the deterioration of the building’s leaky roof on April 1. He calls the space “Uptown 7th” and refers to it as his “art gallery under construction.” Sunstrum is known on the block for taking care of building maintenance and bringing colour to one of Downtown Calgary’s oldest and most run-down heritage buildings. (Photo by Amanda Siebert)
Jonathan Sunstrum takes care of important documents regarding his rental space, Uptown 7th, located across the street from the 1st St SW C-train station in his office in Calgary on April 1. Sunstrum utilizes the high-traffic storefront to house his “under construction art gallery”, often putting on performances and shows, playing music through speakers for transit customers to enjoy, and displaying a variety of art in the window to engage curious pedestrians and, in his words, “bring some colour to this run-down block.” (Photo by Amanda Siebert)
CALGARY – Jonathan Sunstrum blows up a balloon in his office, located two doors down and one floor up from his art gallery, Uptown 7th, on 7th Ave. SW in Downtown Calgary on April 1. Sunstrum often blows up balloons and tosses them out of the window during windy days, “just to see the look on people’s faces.” (Photo by Amanda Siebert)
CALGARY – Jonathan Sunstrum changes the quotes on the chalkboard panels outside his storefront at 125 7th Ave. SW in Downtown Calgary on April 1 as a curious bystander watches. Sunstrum changes the quotes every few days, and often takes submissions from people passing by. “I use the chalkboard panels to communicate to people some of my sentiments. ItÕs all part of my mischievous nature of being specifically vague and vaguely specific,” says Sunstrum. (Photo by Amanda Siebert)
CALGARY – Jonathan Sunstrum stands outside Uptown 7th, the space he rents which is situated across the street from the 1st St SW C-train station platform, just before midnight on March 25. During late nights, Sunstrum plays music through a set of loud speakers — loud enough that people on the train platform can hear it. “I’ve been told by people that it gives them a sense of security, especially during late nights. This isn’t the safest neighbourhood,” says Sunstrum. (Photo by Amanda Siebert)
CALGARY – The front door to 125 7th Ave. SW, Jonathan Sunstrum’s 3,400-square-foot rental space, warns curious pedestrians. Though large, the space is deteriorating rapidly and suffers from a leaky roof, black mould, and has no heat or running water. Sunstrum pays less than $500 a month to rent the space, despite its prime downtown location. (Photo by Amanda Siebert)
CALGARY – Jonathan Sunstrum chats with Mary Osborne (left) and Kayla Daigie (centre) after inviting them into his under-construction art gallery, Uptown 7th, on March 25. Osborn and Daigie were walking past the store when they stopped by to take a look. “What is this place?” asked the girls. “I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked that question,” said Sunstrum.(Photo by Amanda Siebert)
CALGARY – Jonathan Sunstrum can often be found sweeping the sidewalk and shovelling snow from the high-traffic area along 7th Ave. SW, where he rents a 3,400-square-foot space that formerly operated as a diner. Sunstrum uses the space as an under-construction art gallery. His goal is to engage people waiting for trains and “get them to use their imagination.” (Photo by Amanda Siebert)
CALGARY – Jonathan Sunstrum shines a flashlight into the dark corners of Uptown 7th, the space he rents on 7th Ave. SW in Downtown Calgary on March 29. The deteriorating state of the building has posed a challenge to Sunstrum, but he has goals to transform the space into a community art gallery. (Photo by Amanda Siebert)
CALGARY – Jonathan Sunstrum talks with Hassan, the co-owner of Hop-In Hop-out Convenience Store, located next door to Sunstrum’s art gallery, Uptown 7th on April 1. Sunstrum shovelled snow off of the roof of the convenience store as a favour to the owner, whose property, like Sunstrum’s, suffers from a crumbling interior and a leaky roof. (Photo by Amanda Siebert)
CALGARY – Jonathan Sunstrum takes a break from shovelling snow off the roof of Uptown 7th, his rental property which is housed in one of Downtown Calgary’s oldest and most dilapidated heritage buildings, on April 1. The building suffers from a leaky roof, black mould, and has no heat or running water. (Photo by Amanda Siebert)
One of my photo assignments for this semester involved creating an in-depth photo story. I was most excited for this assignment as this is exactly the type of work that I hope to do upon graduation: documentary coverage. I won’t give this much of an intro as I should let the article and accompanying photos do the talking. See the feature article I wrote to accompany the photo story HERE. This work was featured on the cover of FFWD Weekly and can also be seen on their website HERE.
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