Windsor Is a Paradise

Windsor, Ontario is Canada's southernmost city. It's a working class town that borders Detroit, and much like Detroit, Windsor is known for its automotive manufacturing industry. Unfortunately, the recession hit Windsor hard, leading to economic downturn and high rates of unemployment.

However, in spite of its bleak and vacant landscape, Windsor's nightlife continues to flourish. On any weekend of the year, the downtown core becomes littered with boisterous club goers fervently anticipating the night's spoils. Ouellette Avenue, Windsor's main drag, becomes a sea of sloppy fistfights, hot messes, and Axe Body Spray. It is on these nights that a river of alcohol and shawarma induced vomit runs through the streets. Windsor is a city that lives for the weekend and its downtown is a testament to that lifestyle.

I draw some inspiration from Windsor's debaucherous nightlife, but my work is equally influenced by its industrial landscape and its proximity to Detroit. I try to capture the city and people that I know so well through candid snapshots that help me perceive my hometown anew. To me, Windsor is hell, purgatory and paradise all bundled into one, and I like to think that my photos accurately portray this. To see more of Sean's photos, visit foxsean.tumblr.com.