While some Americans chafe at the notion of diversity (it’s talked about with a sneer in more than a few political circles) others have embraced the notion with a big yawn. At least that’s the impression you might get looking at a series of amazing photos by Danish-born New York-based photographer Peter Funch.

a photo from Peter Funch's Babel Tales exhibit

Funch, who is trained as a photojournalist, trained his camera on New Yorkers for ten days at a time, positioned in one spot in the City. He then composited the images thematically: in one image, everyone’s in red; in another they’re all children; in still another they’re in mid-yawn. The effect is startling and hyper-real. In some way, the artifice of photoshop helps us see the reality that’s present over time, if not space.

Sidewalk kids of New York

But his work is also a powerful document of the diversity that’s organic on the streets of Manhattan, that vibrant, lovely stream of humanity the pours over the sidewalks of New York.

Visit Peter Funch’s website.