New York // New Jersey
Through shattered windows, flashes danced in time with the techno bassline, growing louder as I approached. Inside, a crowd huddled together-jumping, shouting, and lost in the rhythm as the Dj set the beat-until dawn drew their faces.
When I started this project, I was fascinated by the elusive nature of rave parties. I had never attended one before, so the idea of following a set of coordinates to a remote location in the city felt both thrilling and mysterious. I found funny how something so loud could also be so secretive at the same time.
Rave culture is not about exclusivity though, it welcomes anyone willing to search for it. There's a profound sense of empowerment in seeking out a rave party: you solve a riddle, catch a train, and trek to a place you're not supposed to be in, in search of a group of people that only exists in that place at that time. It's like setting off on an expedition into uncharted territory, and the rave is a hidden tribe with peculiar and fascinating customs. This tribe was created by two twentytwo-years old DJs from the New Jersey suburbs, who taught themselves how to mix during a quarantine that set apart so many people their age, and embarked on a mission to bring them back together.
With this project, I aim to portray raves as adventures-magical, enigmatic, and sometimes even unsettling—while evoking a deep curiosity and wonder for a world that thrives in the unseen corners of the city.