Javier Alvarez

Photographer

www.javieralvarezm.com/

COLFAX

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Location: Brooklyn

Nationality: Chilean

Biography: hola@javieralvarezm.com 1-303-746-0504 Brooklyn, NY / Santiago, Chile. Javier Álvarez is a Chilean documentary photographer focused on social issues. After pursuing a BFA in Photography, Javier worked as a freelance editorial and... MORE

Colfax Avenue, the longest stre...States. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Colfax Avenue, the longest street in the United States. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Pete. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

A Holiday Inn motel postcard on...Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

A Holiday Inn motel postcard on Colfax Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Mark at the Rocky Mountain Mote...nhealthy habits and addictions.

Mark at the Rocky Mountain Motel parking lot. He was taking a break from homelessness with his wife and two children while searching for employment. The family had left Oklahoma to escape unhealthy habits and addictions.

Family dinner at Rocky Mountain...Colfax. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Family dinner at Rocky Mountain Motel in Colfax. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Mark's young daughter a...f days. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Mark's young daughter at the room where the family had been staying for a couple of days. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Mark's young son. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

An old postcard from a vintage ...mp;#39; Denver, Colorado. 2018.

An old postcard from a vintage road motel on Colfax Avenue. On the back, the inscription reads, 'Stayed Here, July 24, 1966.' Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Early morning. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Hook up at the 1UP arcade bar. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Picking up a passenger at the S...Lounge. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Picking up a passenger at the Satire Lounge. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Shared joint. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Mark's hand waiting for...akeout. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Mark's hand waiting for Chinese takeout. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

USPS Parking lot. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Mile 12, Colfax Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Mile 30, Colfax Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Mile 6, Colfax Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

A letter from Billy, a homeless...Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

A letter from Billy, a homeless man who sells poetry to survive on the streets. Colfax Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

The State Capitol Building over...wntown. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

The State Capitol Building overlooking Colfax Avenue downtown. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Terrace overlooking Colfax Aven...ilding. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Terrace overlooking Colfax Avenue and State Capitol Building. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Found postcard from a rooftop o...ng Colfax Avenue. Denver, 1974.

Found postcard from a rooftop overlooking Colfax Avenue. Denver, 1974.

Will, 14yr old. He left his hom...career. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Will, 14yr old. He left his hometown in Texas to pursue a hip-hop career. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

A road motel sign stands along ... state. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

A road motel sign stands along the nearly 50-mile stretch of Colfax Avenue in Denver, Colorado. This road, once an essential stop on the main route connecting the East and West, has now become a focal point for issues such as prostitution, drug deals, and transient populations in a city that houses 68% of the homeless population in the state. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Bar. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

PLAY

STOP

GRID

FULL

LOVE

Thumbnail of Colfax Avenue, the longest stree_ States. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Pete. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of A Holiday Inn motel postcard on _ Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Mark at the Rocky Mountain Motel_unhealthy habits and addictions.

Thumbnail of Family dinner at Rocky Mountain _ Colfax. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Mark's young daughter at_of days. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Mark's young son. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of An old postcard from a vintage r_amp;#39; Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Early morning. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Hook up at the 1UP arcade bar. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Picking up a passenger at the Sa_ Lounge. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Shared joint. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Mark's hand waiting for _takeout. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of USPS Parking lot. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Mile 12, Colfax Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Mile 30, Colfax Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Mile 6, Colfax Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of A letter from Billy, a homeless _ Avenue. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of The State Capitol Building overl_owntown. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Terrace overlooking Colfax Avenu_uilding. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Found postcard from a rooftop ov_ing Colfax Avenue. Denver, 1974.

Thumbnail of Will, 14yr old. He left his home_ career. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of A road motel sign stands along t_e state. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Thumbnail of Bar. Denver, Colorado. 2018.

Public Story

COLFAX

Copyright Javier Alvarez 2024

Date of Work Dec 1969 - Ongoing

Updated May 2020

Location Colfax Avenue, Denver

Topics Documentary, Mixed Medium, Photography, Portraiture, Spotlight

Colfax Avenue in Denver, Colorado, is the longest street in the US, spanning nearly 50 miles (81km) of pavement.

This series chronicles an 8-month period in my life as a taxi driver, capturing interactions with people in transit or in the nightlife by roadside motels and neglected territories on this very same road. It served as a travel diary, where I reflected on my experience of immigration and living in one of the cities that accommodates a third of the country's homeless population.