Interview with Diego Alejandro Waisman, author of “Sunset Colonies: A Visual Elegy to South Florida’s Mobile Home Communities”
This review strives to have “one foot in Florida, one foot in the life of the mind.” We want to live up to that, so we will be regularly featuring interviews with Florida authors. Sunset Colonies was published by the University Press of Florida in September of 2024 and brings light to the state in a special way. This is our interview with the author/photographer Diego Alejandro Waisman.
Can you share a little about your personal connection to the state of Florida?
Although raised outside the United States, I've called Florida home for over half
my life.
According to University Press of Florida, your book Sunset Colonies: A Visual Elegy to South
Florida’s Mobile Home Communities features “photographs that meditate on the
vanishing place of mobile home parks in the landscape of Miami.” What drew you
to this topic?
In 2016, I discovered Dixie Court, a small mobile home community in South Florida.
The property had recently been sold to a development company, and the
residents faced imminent eviction. Many people don't realize that these
communities offer one of the few affordable housing options in South Florida. As
Miami and its metropolitan area undergo rapid gentrification, the disappearance of
these trailer parks signifies a significant shift in the urban landscape. Out of
confusion and frustration, I felt it was important to document this reality.
How does this book help us better understand Florida?
The book narrates the recent history of these trailer parks while also providing a
historical representation of their place in South Florida. The monograph examines
marketing materials and news archives that paint a picture of these communities
and their residents during the 1950s and 1980s, juxtaposing their stories against
those of current residents.
What makes photography the best medium for telling this story?
Photography has the unique ability to capture scenes and moments that are
visible, yet often overlooked by the naked eye. It acts as a time machine,
preserving the past in a way no other artistic medium can match. Moreover, it
allows us to observe and contemplate a stillness that's rare to find nowadays.
What surprised you most in researching this book or in putting it together?
The project took about seven years from initial documentation to final publication,
including research, sequencing, and layout.
There's a famous Mark Twain quote that says, "History never repeats itself, but it
does often rhyme." I found many similarities between today's economy and the
1980s, when high inflation rates made home ownership unaffordable for many.
This research also revealed that trailer park living and its residents have been
stigmatized for decades—much longer than I initially thought.
What is it that you hope readers take away with them?
I hope readers can appreciate the beauty that exists in everyone's home,
regardless of what it's made of. I hope they also discover that these changes in
the urban landscape come at a cost for many. The increased density of
metropolitan cities such as Miami is making the area unaffordable for many people
who have lived here all their lives.
Who are some of your favorite photographers?
There are many photographers I admire: Lewis Baltz, Richard Avedon, Stephen
Shore, Alec Soth, and Alejandro Cartagena. The list is lengthy. They all share an
authenticity and dedication to their craft that I found fundamental to good work.
What are you working on now/next?
I'm currently working on my second monograph. This project explores South
Florida as a vast transitional space, contrasting various unique circumstances
throughout the region.
What do you think makes Florida special? And/or, do you have a favorite Florida
food or place?
Florida is a young state with incredible beauty. It's home to a diverse group of
people, each with fascinating stories. I hope Floridians appreciate the work local
artists do to showcase the unique voices and perspectives that represent our
place.
