Hotels allow anyone with the means to travel the chance to live outside of their class, indulging in the luxury they could never otherwise afford. Elaborate lobbies announce to the hotel patron the level of luxury available at the hotel, which they could then reflect upon themselves. Today, the actual wealth and luxury has been removed from most hotels, replaced by a pretension to luxury. The lobbies of modern hotels are the focal point of this presentation of affluence and style. In North America, hotels are most often a simulation of other places: the French chateau, the English gentleman’s club, or the grand railroad hotels of times past.

Through my Hotel Lobbies Series, I have documented many of the hotel lobbies found in downtown Toronto. The images examine the simulation of luxury and tradition, as well as the fusion of private and public space. These spaces are full of fundamental contradictions: they incorporate many elements familiar to the average Western home: couches, armchairs, coffee tables, etc. But they also contain revolving doors, pay phones, exit signs, and security cameras. They are a transitory space, but one that encourages rest and pause. This polarization of spacial elements creates a discomfort and tension which prohibits the function of the space. The series is composed of nine 30x37.5” colour chromogenic prints, all photographed at night. The dim light and vacant spaces create a tense mood and mystery, giving the spaces a distinct theatrical feel. This sense of mystery and drama encourages the viewer to dwell deeper into the spaces, examining the unconscious meanings behind our surrounding environment.

—Scott Chandler