Thursday, June 2, 2016

Street Hammocking Comes to Portland



Seen Tuesday around noon on N Albina Ave near the intersection with N Page St.  Hammock was strung between a tree and lamp post. I took this photo as I walked by on my way to lunch. Later when I came back the other direction, the young man was taking down the hammock, and after I passed him he went inside the nearest door, apparently his workplace---a creative agency in an industrial warehouse.

Then a few hours later, just around the block on N Russell St I spotted this young woman:




She had a purse and belonging near her head, as one might do while lying on the beach.

It struck me as a natural extension of the growing occupation of the sidewalks by the homeless here in Portland. If they can sleep there, why can't everyone claim that space take a nap there?

On Wednesday the trend was more about sitting than lying down,.

Seen in almost exactly the same spot as the hammock:




And around the corner on N Page St.





When I first told my co-workers about the hammock yesterday, they agreed with me that it could be a new trend.

"In three months there will be a Willamette Week article about it," I predicted. (see: "A Field Guide to Urban Camping", Feb 17, 2016)


No comments: