The history voids.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Sooo Detroit! I would've liked seeing more of the street just out of frame to the left ....

No insult intended, but to me (as a European) this looks like a dead building (with an automobile). Yes there is artwork and graffiti but they have no obvious meaning to me. As a result, no purpose or message comes across to me.

Meaning?

Graffiti killed Detroit.....

 

;)

'The history voids'

-from my curiosity browsing the net-

9980 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, Michigan

"Gratiot Avenue was once teeming with restaurants, bars and retail stores."

"Mural "African Amalgamation of Ubiquity," by Curtis Lewis, 1985, featuring Malcolm X and MLK, Jr., on the side wall of Operation Get Down, a drug rehabilitation center, ..."

"The mural had fallen into significant disrepair in recent years. In its heyday, it attracted national acclaim, including being named one of the best murals that depicted civil rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr. It also highlighted a variety of other African-American leaders throughout history, all the way back to Egypt."

"The building itself was once an excellent example of Art Deco architecture."

"Things change. Values shift. The building that contained “African Amalgamation of Ubiquity” has now been replaced by a hole in the ground."

 

When my attention was directed to this ignored post seeking critique by Pavel I immediately thought of Detroit which I had not visited in decades. It was not a familiarity with the location as much as it was for the feeling of Detroit in disrepair that I experienced. To me tho it could've been anywhere. I recently moved away from a small city in Oregon that was also experiencing neglect. That broadens my reaction to this photo. Neglect, abandonment... 'changing values'. Documenting these encounters has appeal for me. This is a solid documentation if not more.

I like the foreground. It enhances the sense of neglect. I like the disregard of the mural that obviously was so much more than graffiti... changing values.

I would have liked the inclusion of the street to the left ... an additional layer to the narrative.

 

Pavels meaning?, if nothing more than gut reaction to the aesthetics, i also would have been drawn in.

.

I'm guessing this was done on 6x6cm black & white film, hence the square format which has led to a lot of foreground which does not add to the picture in my opinion. Also it would have been interesting to see this wall art scene in colour.

 

I think the building dominates the shot in a fairly static way in the middle of the frame, whereas it might have been interesting to see more of the surroundings to demonstrate the context. Apart from the car which has its rear end chopped off.

I'd avoided commenting and originally had a similar take as John (except for the car, which I'll get to). Reading inoneeye's post, though, helped bring into focus the main issue, about the static framing and domination of the main building in the frame. I agree that seeing more of that street to the left would have really made a difference. I think it would have added context and eased up on the rigidity of the composition. I like what the foreground adds and feel it's an important part of the storytelling and documentation, but also thought something was off with its balance, so maybe a little less of it while still emphasizing it would work. Adding that bit of street might just help the foreground as it is, though.

 

It's especially noteworthy that the graffiti folks didn't mar the mural (due respect!), though whoever did the boarding... I actually like how the graffiti plays against the mural.

 

The car's rear end being chopped off, I think, is a small element playing against the static more formal composition, and it works for me. Adding the street on the left would play well with the cut car. There's a spontaneity suggested and a "not caring" about the precise edge of the car or frame that makes it less rigid.

 

When I read John's comment about the car, my mind immediately went to Eggleston, much more extreme and different contexts entirely, but nevertheless an amusing thought ...

 

EGGLESTON 1

EGGLESTON 2

EGGLESTON 3

Thank you all for your comments.

 

The reason this building has captured my attention is the wide field of possible interpretations.

 

I agree that more street on the left will increase the contrast between abandoned building and the fluid life. I shoot 6x6 but not hesitate to crop if I feel the necessity. I think that the dead foreground is adding the sense of isolation of the building. The passing by or the parked car that lacks blur, as sign of motion, can be considered as aberration.

 

I think the building itself more interesting to me than it's position. I found the chronological mural interrupted by plain boards may be very symbolic. From the other angle, windows, in the art, are metaphors for hope, change, the source of "Light" are shut with boards in deteriorating building.

 

Cheers.

'The history voids'

-from my curiosity browsing the net-

9980 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, Michigan

"Gratiot Avenue was once teeming with restaurants, bars and retail stores."

"Mural "African Amalgamation of Ubiquity," by Curtis Lewis, 1985, featuring Malcolm X and MLK, Jr., on the side wall of Operation Get Down, a drug rehabilitation center, ..."

"The mural had fallen into significant disrepair in recent years. In its heyday, it attracted national acclaim, including being named one of the best murals that depicted civil rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr. It also highlighted a variety of other African-American leaders throughout history, all the way back to Egypt."

"The building itself was once an excellent example of Art Deco architecture."

"Things change. Values shift. The building that contained “African Amalgamation of Ubiquity” has now been replaced by a hole in the ground."

 

When my attention was directed to this ignored post seeking critique by Pavel I immediately thought of Detroit which I had not visited in decades. It was not a familiarity with the location as much as it was for the feeling of Detroit in disrepair that I experienced. To me tho it could've been anywhere. I recently moved away from a small city in Oregon that was also experiencing neglect. That broadens my reaction to this photo. Neglect, abandonment... 'changing values'. Documenting these encounters has appeal for me. This is a solid documentation if not more.

I like the foreground. It enhances the sense of neglect. I like the disregard of the mural that obviously was so much more than graffiti... changing values.

I would have liked the inclusion of the street to the left ... an additional layer to the narrative.

 

Pavels meaning?, if nothing more than gut reaction to the aesthetics, i also would have been drawn in.

.

 

 

Thanks for going deeper on this inoeeye, having this info really helps to sort the image in my head. I, too would love a bit more of the surroundings in the shot, yes the building is interesting, but as a stand-alone focal point, it floats so far out of any sort of context that I feel this shot really needs something to anchor it.

 

That said, I really like the mural, its original heading, and the way all the graffiti plays with it, from top (KUMA YOUTH) to all the normal street-style graffiti along the sidewalk level. I'm with the others who wish we could see this in full color. The black and white does void the building & mural of its true and full emotional impact, which does have its own effect on my viewing experience- it gives the photo a straight-up documentary feel. The shot becomes not quite timeless, but in B&W you're (probably unintentionally) stripping away the emotion and sanitizing the fact of the ruination. So it may have had a greater impact in color. Adding a greater element of the surroundings would also add to the "story" of the building, IMO, or at least make the shot that much more accessible from all angles