Selected from an ongoing series by Chinese-American photographer Lia Elms and London-based writer and art historian Spencer Hurley. The collaborative project explores how interior spaces reflect the identities of young people in New York. Elms and Hurley believe that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the bedroom has become “all that’s ours” – the only constant in a rapidly changing environment. Therefore, collecting images of their friends, as well as material of their personal spaces and ephemera, is an attempt to capture something about people themselves:
“As artists, our rooms are an extension of who we are, part studio, part library, part bedroom. We have a deep connection to our personal spaces, and many of the people we photograph are themselves artists who feel the same way. Through these portraits, we get a glimpse into their minds through the environments they create for themselves.”
Lia Elms and Spencer Hurley are shortlisted for our 2025 Booooooom Art & Photography Book Awards.
