Bodies, Bodies, Bodies
Valentina Donoso Abuawad
Walking in New York City is often a utilitarian act—a means of getting from point A to point B. But what happens when we walk not to arrive, but to observe, to feel, to disrupt the utility of movement? Bodies, Bodies, Bodies explores walking as a method of exploration, a way to engage with the city beyond its practical functions. I examine how time, detours, and intentions shape our relationship with urban space.
This impermanence is reflected in the final embodiment of my thesis: three interconnected books that allow for nonlinear pairings and unexpected relationships between images. In this way, mirroring the fluidity of urban movement, the work invites the viewer to engage actively rather than passively.
Bodies, Bodies, Bodies is the idea that everything in a city is a body—from architecture to people, from sidewalks to signage. These bodies interact in both visible and invisible systems, forming an interconnected urban organism. I abandoned predetermined paths and allowed impulse and curiosity to guide me, revealing patterns, rhythms, and overlooked details. This practice became the act of taking one’s time, rather than attempting to control it.
Even in its stillness—fleeting and transient—nothing remains static. So, if everything moves, can anything ever truly be captured?