“Matt Mele’s Vacancy series features the resort town of Wildwood, New Jersey. Wildwood is a working class shore town in northeastern USA that relies on tourism in the summer months. Mele’s family has called Wildwood its satellite home since the ’50’s.
Despite being known for its high concentration of Vegas-like neon and mid-century modern architecture- much of its original allure is disappearing through demolition and redevelopment.
Mele’s ongoing documentation of the area shows the subsequent effects of a town that relies on seasonal tourism as it endures the 21st century.
Through photography, Mele’s work documents the past as well as a peek into the passage of time.”
