Photographer takes couch surfing to the streets, literally

“I grew up around poverty,” said Mitchell, a 23-year old University City resident. “Many of my friends became homeless when their parents wouldn’t support them and their art.”

Mitchell said one night in February a friend was “couch surfing” at his crib when he came up with a crazy idea. “Why don’t we just take the couch out in the streets and make it look like its traveling?” he said.

He turned the term into pop art by creating a literal display of its definition. This action was intentional – not only did he want to bring awareness to homelessness but also show how you can make the best out of every experience.

“An artist can take trash off the ground and turn it into something beautiful,” he said. “Couch surfing can do the same.”

Mitchell and his friends hauled a black loveseat and black and white polka dotted rug to West 3rd Street and captured the first images in front of BB&T Ballpark. “It took us 30 minutes to set it up the first time, but we came up with a plan and got better at it,” he said.

Clocking in at a 30-second-setup time like a NASCAR pit crew, Mitchell said a team of 12 Charlotteans raced against traffic and law enforcement to set the scene and capture couch surfing shots all across Charlotte as well as some iconic locations in Washington, D.C. and New York City.

The spontaneity of it added to the creativity of the series; although, it wasn’t without its challenges. He said they had to plead their way out of several tickets and wait around for hours in Times Square, fighting traffic. “It was such an adrenaline rush,” said Mitchell. “It was worth it.”

Mitchell’s rebellious spirit, passion for photography and theatre experience as a former student at Northwest School of the Arts helped shape the series of over a dozen shots where an anonymous female rests in front of places like Capitol Hill, Times Square and Charlotte’s The Grand Disc on Bank of America Plaza. The series will be on display for a second time at Paper Cut Gallery in Plaza Midwood and premiere at Twenty-Two Gallery on Central. The dates have not yet been set.

As for Mitchell, he is eager to hit the road again. He hopes his next couch surfing destination will be in Miami. “There are so many places I want to go,” he said. “The series will keep going as long as we continue to receive support.”

In the end, he said it’s all about the journey. “If you cannot take the journey forget the experience.”

View more of Mitchell’s series online here.

Support his efforts and find out more about the upcoming show here.

Crystal O’Gorman is a freelance reporter who enjoys covering the psychology of culture and town government. Have a story idea for her? Email her at [email protected].

(Photo credit: Kevin “Surf” Mitchell.)