Steve Duncan Goes Underground In This Amazing Film

Steve Duncan is a well-known 32-year old urban explorer who specializes in going where no man is supposed to go.  Legally, that is.  He leads late night expeditions into sewers and subways of around the world, to the tops of famous bridges and through forbidden underground tunnels.  And he is not just a thrill-seeker.  He is actually getting his PhD in urban history at the University of California.  You could say he's something of a modern day Indiana Jones, seeking not a crystal skull but a 300-year old sewer.

Steve recently was profiled in both the New York TIMES and also NPR as he went on a 25 mile adventure under and over the city of New York.  Also, on his website Under City, he recently posted an extraordinary video of some adventures made earlier in the year.  The video, beautifully shot by Andrew Wonder on a DSLR, is almost 30 minutes long but it is truly fascinating and edge-of-your seat stuff.   You will not believe some of the things he gets into....and on top of.  And the cinematography is stunning.

Earlier this year I posted about Shane Perez, a photographer I met in DUMBO who is also an urban explorer and has taken some amazing pictures from the Brooklyn Bridge. He has a cameo in this film, which in some ways seems like a pilot for a TV show about urban exploration.  It's also 100 times more interesting and exciting than most of the overcooked thrill-reality shows like ICE TRUCKERS.  Also, Steve is a knowledgeable and charming host too.  I hope to see more, either online or on the Discovery channel soon.


UNDERCITY from Andrew Wonder on Vimeo.

The Art of Urban Exploration

Last night I went to DUMBO for their open gallery night.  This is similar to the practice in Chelsea, where galleries coordinate their openings on a Thursday evening and serve up some free wine as well as new art.  At the Mighty Tanaka Gallery, we found some stunning photos taken from the top of the Brooklyn Bridge, the 59th Street bridge and the Municipal Building.  These were the work of Shane Perez, a photographer who specializes in going where no man is supposed to go.  


He told us that getting to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge was actually the easiest of his many adventures.  It's only a 5-10 minute walk straight up the cables that support the span.  He headed up there late one Monday night around 3:30 AM and wasn't arrested or even spotted.  He also had some great photos of the Hellgate bridge, abandoned subway tunnels under City Hall, and an old electrical power plant in Philly.  This guy gets around!


You can view some of these other pictures on Shane's website.  Also, I found a website where you can learn more about the world of Urban Exploration...where nothing is off limits.