Detroit in ruins

mada85

mada85

The Cosmic Force
I wasn't quite sure whether to put this in Creative Acts or Travelogues, but I opted for the former. Detroit in ruins is a series of haunting photographs by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, documenting the decline of a major American city. A reminder of what America once had, and how the concentration of wealth in the hands of the pathological few has led to urban decay, and the loss of a great many services and activities for the people. Saddest of all for me is the photograph of the East Side Public Library, closed and forgotten, with row upon row of books left to rot.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2011/jan/02/photography-detroit#/?picture=370173054&index=0

edit: spelling
 
A sad sight indeed. It will probably spread in 2011 - I read that 80 % of american homes have a substantially smaller value than the mortgages on the property. Combined with an unemployment rate of 20% and gallopping war costs it looks bleak indeed.
 
The pictures have a very post-apocalyptic feel to them. It's interesting that books, photographs etc. were just left behind.
 
Odyssey said:
It's interesting that books, photographs etc. were just left behind.
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That was my thought as well. It's indeed sad to see such city decaying into ruin and into a forgotten memory. These pictures are sure reminders of what's coming to all cities soon...
 
Thanks for that link - sheesh - the decay. It is hard to understand how shelves of library books were just left. Perhaps it cost more to transport them, than to leave them? Such waste. The art deco chandeliers and fixtures are not worthless items by any means. It really does look like a post-apocalyptic scene - just decay.
 
anart said:
Thanks for that link - sheesh - the decay. It is hard to understand how shelves of library books were just left. Perhaps it cost more to transport them, than to leave them? Such waste. The art deco chandeliers and fixtures are not worthless items by any means. It really does look like a post-apocalyptic scene - just decay.
Click to expand...

I agree. Those theatres were really beautiful too. It's a shame to see them in such a condition. :(
 
Odyssey said:
The pictures have a very post-apocalyptic feel to them. It's interesting that books, photographs etc. were just left behind.
Click to expand...


It looks like a warning of what will happen soon.
 
Thanks a lot Endymion, Detroit is certainly a tragic note for many.

I lived there for a while, and I would offer that these problems started in the 1970's after the race riots. The city was looted for three days. The district that was formerly high end shops & boutiques was never rebuilt. Then there was a long stint with one single mayor who refused to budge on property taxes. A typical retiree after 30 hard years work at Ford Motor Co. would have to pay $5000-$7000 to the city annually in property taxes, and if you did not? Repo! In 2000, 26% of all houses in Detroit were boarded up. It was very spooky then, and for those that don't know it, this is a context for the house burning that takes place in Eminem's film '8 Mile.'
Anyways the most haunting for me was the Boston-Edison district, where the Mahogany Row executives of Detroit lived in the 40s & 50s. You have alternating mansions and alleyways with servant's quarters. By 2000 the mansions became a cataclysm, while the alleyway servant's quarters rock on.

Cheers.
 
Yeah, Detroit seems to me to be one of the earliest signs of America's future, as it all started around 35 to 40 years ago and slid into it's current dilapidated state. And it was one of the symbols of the USA in the 50's.

Another similar case is Albany, the capital of New York state. I was in that city back in 1994. It had once been a thriving city, and of course, the seat of state government. But the amount of abandoned buildings and boarded up businesses and general decay was astonishing. There were even a bunch of GOVERNMENT buildings abandoned. It was a very depressed and depressing city and really spooky like you were in some kind of a "twilight zone-ish" movie. There was some effort being made for "revitalization" that sadly seemed like an exercise in futility.

I was there for a film festival and the only real tangible "revitalization" effort was the renovation of an old style movie theater. It was one of those old huge theaters that resemble an opera house and seat around 2000 to 2500 people with many leveled balconies, etc. The renovation was only about half way complete and all the films in the festival were being screened in this theater. But I really couldn't understand what hope there was to "revitalize" this dying city that was already more dead than alive. And the most significant impression for me was, man, this is the capital of "The Empire State."
 
Thanks for posting this link, Endymion. My, what magnificent architecture that is just withering away. :( I hope the designers and creators of the buildings aren't around to see this...
 
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