Ambient Walk: In this series of site-specific works, Janzen navigates the back alleys of the city on foot with a video camera focused down on the walking surface.
As surfaces rapidly pass by the lens, an unusual perspective of the city is captured. The visual result is highly animated with an endless variety of pattern, line, and colour. The rhythm of his footsteps and surrounding human and machine activity add an ambient sound mix.
Back alleys present an alternative for travel through the city, outside the traditional grid of streets and sidewalks. They offer a more private view of the city. These are nameless interstitial spaces. Underfoot, a variety of surface materials, transformed by histories of repair, neglect and wear, are patched, cracked and broken. Debris is strewn and crushed by machine and human traffic. These hidden environments can provide an abundance of aesthetic opportunities.
