Installation View

These are images from the actual show.

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Senior Show Work

I recently completed my senior thesis exhibition at Alfred University.  These are the images and the artist statement that were included in my show.  The images were separated into three separate series; Street level buildings (7), Industries connected to the rail system (4), and Buildings down by the bayfront (3).

Artist Statement

Elliott Erwitt stated in an interview for Aperture Magazine, “I don’t believe that photography can change the world, but it can show the world changing.”  In this body of work, I am documenting the lost industrial scene in my hometown, Erie, Pennsylvania.  I documented how the area changed over time by solely focusing on the building itself without any extra distractions to specifically date the images.  Many of the older buildings are no longer functioning, however, there are a few industrial sites which are still in use.  I researched these industrial sites through personal stories, old magazines, and newspaper articles.

I began working around familiar places and locations that have a history or unique background.  Most of these buildings are familiar because they are structures I passed every day.  I have a different connection to other buildings because of anecdotes my family has told me about working in some of these old factories.  These stories were about the job environment and co-workers, as well as the songs my Grandmother and the other factory workers used to sing while working during the World War II era.  Along with the anecdotes, I find the effect weather and time have on these old buildings to be intriguing, giving them character.  My photographs tend to be void of people and vehicles that could potentially date my images.  I strive to capture the building or place that I am photographing for what it is today, whether abandoned or used for a different type of company than originally intended.

My focus is traditional black and white photography.  I enjoy the technical aspect of working directly with film and processing the images in the darkroom.  Being able to personally manipulate the images to represent the buildings as they are seen today is the most satisfying aspect of working in this medium.

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