The Guardians, Montreal-based photographer Vladimir Antaki's recently announced big project, features photos of shopkeepers from all over the world.
Antaki has met nearly 250 guardians so far across 9 cities - Montreal, New York, Las Vegas, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, and Beirut. The current series includes 24 photographs of "guardians" in their "urban temples:" thrift shops, kiosks, vintage boutiques, subway bodegas, repair shops, etc.
"People pay less and less attention to their environment. They are always in a hurry, they don't take the time to spend time with one another. Unfortunately, these places will one day no longer be around. This is one of the reasons that compelled me to want to document these "guardians"," explains the photographer.
