WHO THE FUCK IS CARLY?

Chaotic. That is the only way to describe this whole experience. I struggled over how to write this, a simple thank you for coming, an over boasty blog post about all the attention received, or just the truth? The whole Miami trip started off on a chaotic foot, the tickets were bought day 2 into a bender because my credit card limit got upped out of the blue, and hey, 10 days in Miami in February sounded nice. It was June 2019. 8 months away.

So how did we end up 2 years later pounding back double tall pineapple vodka sodas at the Black Bear at noon, howling over that wild night in Miami? Well, the chaos never stopped after those return tickets were bought. In December of 2019, my good friend Vlad gave me the idea of turning my trip into a photo project. 24 Hours in Miami, he said, easy for you to do, Carly. Then it stuck.

March 21st, 2021 at Fortunes middle space floor. The event was set, the trip was done, photos were developed, we were ready to roll. Of course, until March 16th, when the world fell apart, and we were locked away. For good, we thought too. "You're next up," Pouya of Vancouver's Artist Block said. Referring to when it would be safe enough to gather in large groups without the fear of killing your grandparents.

And there we have it, folks. We did it, and we did it big. The best part was not knowing anyone looking at my photos. The support from my friends and family has always been unwavering and unreal. But to see a complete stranger even drunkenly stumble in and ask, "Who the fuck is Carly?" That is what this art thing is all about. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for attending my first photo exhibit, and I will see you at 24 hours in LA.

Special thank you to Flo, Bahar, Pouya, Vlad, and everyone at the event space who made this possible.