People in Public is an observational journal that I began writing in the fall of 2014. At that time my primary mode of transit around the New York City was by bicycle. As a cyclist one has a certain detachment from one’s surroundings: moving quickly, automobile and pedestrian traffic are seen at a slight remove, and the city appears as an array of shifting perspectives that succeed one another like scenes in an unfolding film. I wanted a way to record certain ‘snapshot’ images that crossed by field of vision, whether I was riding or stopped at intersections. These vignettes were often quite banal – quotidian impressions that felt somehow characteristic of life in New York City or stood out to me in one way or another. Later, when I stopped cycling due to a back injury, I extended these entries to cover a wider range of locations and subjects: unusual encounters with strangers, quirky or idiosyncratic moments, events I witnessed first person, or more generalized observations about public space and socializing. I’ve also kept the journal while traveling. The entries have been more or less frequent over the years, but they have formed an important and consistent part of my thinking about my environment – whether it be stores, galleries, theaters, museums, outdoor spaces, public transport or streets and sidewalks.
The drawings have been added sporadically, and generally at later dates. My intention with the sketches has been to create images that refer to the journal entry, sometimes indirectly, in a way that compliments rather than illustrates the narrative. I’ve tried to limit myself in the time I spend working on the sketches to roughly the time it took me to write the entry. The drawings are no. 2 pencil on 6” x 8” paper.
Aaron Scott is an artist and designer living in New York City. His work can be found at aaronscottdesign.com
People in Public 