John Mireles began the 'Neighbors' series in 2015 when Mireles began to photograph individuals in his own neighborhood in Logan Heights, San Diego, California. His display of large scale portraits of his neighbors along the fence of his home spawned the format that Mireles would use for the next several years to display the people that he encountered across the United States. The project was intended to highlight the rich history and diversity of his own community and bring moments of intimacy into the public sphere. Since the inception of this project, Mireles has documented countless Americans and has displayed his archive publicly through the support of institutions, local businesses and city departments.
Often thought of as a project that intends to bridge the gap between people separated by ideological, sociology-economical, geographical and racial differences the 'Neighbors' series continues as a living archive of American identity. Having a background in photographing scenes from everyday life, Mireles works closely with his subjects when photographing them. This series continues to remind those who it comes in contact with about the shared responsibility that all have to respect and celebrate members of our communities.
John Mireles outside of his home in Logan Heights, San Diego in 2015 where large-scale portraits from his 'Neighbors' series were first publicly displayed.
Neighbors Portraits installed at First Street Green Art Park on East Houston Street at First Avenue in New York City, 2018.
Neighbors Portraits installed at First Street Green Art Park on East Houston Street at First Avenue in New York City, 2018.
Selections from 'Neighbors' installed at the Anchorage Museum in Alaska, 2017.
Selections from the 'Neighbors' series installed outside of the artist's home in San Diego.
Portrait from 'Neighbors'
Chicano Park
San Diego, California
Portrait from 'Neighbors'
Front Yard
East Detroit, Michigan
Portrait from 'Neighbors'
Park Blocks
Portland, Oregon
Portrait from 'Neighbors'
Gas Station
Oak Hill, West Virginia
Portrait from 'Neighbors'
Family Farm
Morristown, Vermont
What began as a visual display of his own neighbors (on his own fence) in San Diego, California’s Barrio Logan neighborhood, Mireles’s “Neighbors Project” has grown into a portrait series that features 86 different Americans, from each of the 50 states, hung on fences around the country.
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