End Of The Line
To simply view the images in this project, please click on the picture below.
For those of you who wish to read something about this project, my statement is available below.
What is it about forgotten places that some people find irresistible? For me, it is the sense of history one gets while walking through structures shrouded in the mystery and moodiness of how time has reclaimed these abandoned spaces. Three former industrial sites, dating back to the early 1900’s, are featured here: a paper mill, a sweater mill, a radio factory.
As with any occupation, people often spend the best years of their lives trying to earn a living to support their families and their sense of career. As the observer walks through the cold arteries that link each chamber, one may still hear the snippets of long-forgotten conversations still lingering, the still echoes of hopes and dreams. From the zenith of prosperity to the abruptness of termination, these icons of manufacturing stand as silent tombstones marking their timelines.
Once manufacturing ceases, the doors closed, time begins its reclamation work in peculiar ways. Vegetation, moisture, vandalism tend to leave their accumulated marks. The results are captured in the vanishing lines, twisted shapes, and morose textures defined by the remaining bones. Deafening silence has now replaced the tumultuous sounds of industry. Strange shadows of the past dominate the waning light of the present. The odors of mold, mildew and decay permeate the air. Graffiti decorates the wall-space. Broken windows and doorways reveal a broken landscape of its own to the unsuspecting visitor. Peril from compromised structures and unexpected creatures may be lurking at any turn in a hallway or open space.
The final markdowns become the ultimate gesture in a series of linearly linked movements in time and space. Only nothingness lasts forever. We all must face the end of the line.