Along the Waterfront | Wyeth > Franklin > Commercial > Ash > McGunnis

In early Fall of 2005, I began to photograph the view, standing from Wyeth Ave. looking toward the east river. I continued to walk north on Wyeth, shooting the river from every intersection until the road branched out to Franklin.  When I got home and downloaded the photos, I realized I was missing something – every building in between.  So I went back out with my camera and photographed every building on Wyath ave., Franklin ave. all the way to McGinnis Bvld. Later, I digitally collaged the images, forming a massive strip of images that is around one inch in height by 25 feet in length. Printed out and hung on the wall, the viewer must walk the length of the piece, simulating my own experience as I walk in quiet reflection around my neighborhood.  Not only have I created an experience for the viewer, I captured a moment in time.

Six months later I decided to retrace my footsteps and photograph the same exact location. After collaging these photographs into strips, I have place the pieces next to each other so the viewer can see the direct comparison and track the changes as they walk along the piece. At first the changes were slight – some colors of the houses had changed, some storefronts had new façades. Small-scale construction had taken place, but nothing drastic.  Six months after that, even more change had occurred.  Buildings where there were none before, construction cranes and bulldozers make their homes on the street.  The small changes often grab my attention as well.  The distribution of cars parked on the side of the road, graffiti appearing and disappearing, differences in the pattern of light.  This past spring, a year and a half after photographing the first strip, I retraced my steps yet again and this time the changes were becoming more apparent.  Who can miss the 4o story high rise sitting on the edge of the east river towering over the rest of the neighborhood?   I will continue to retrace these steps ever six months.