I was living in New York when the global financial crisis hit in 2008. The impact was almost immediate, and very tangible. A couple of months into the crash I took a walk with the dog around my neighbourhood and took photos of the shops that had recently closed down. It was one of the saddest series I’d ever made.
Some of these places were New York icons. I would think to myself, “Imagine what those walls have witnessed. The conversations, the secrets, the stories.”
Then recently I came across artist Candy Chang’s Looking for Love Again interactive art project, and it reminded me of that walk.
The project focused on a building in Fairbanks, Alaska, which had stood vacant and silent for more than a decade. But once upon a time, this building had pulsated with life. It had been both an apartment complex and a hotel, and it housed a lot of memories.
Chang wrapped the building in a giant plea, “Looking for Love Again,” and invited the people of Fairbanks to share their memories of the building on two big blackboards that were nailed around its walls.
“A lot of family memories stayed here for 30 day! Waiting to have my son who will be 17 years,” someone wrote.
And another: “In memory of my grandparents Rudy and Mary Hill Dad Jay Hill Uncle Jack Hill who built this building with lots of love and hard work.”
And this one: “Remember when the Pipeline Club was on top & women could be ‘guests’ but not ‘members’?”
And simply: “A place 4 ppl to live their dreams and be happy.”
Buildings play such an integral part in our lives. There’s a reason we have a saying in English, “if these walls could talk…” Just imagine, for a moment, if they could. Oh the stories they could tell!
All images from Candy Chang’s project used with permission, from Civic Center.
Thanks for sharing this, Naomi! I do think all the stories they house is what makes abandoned buildings so intriguing.
This struck a deep chord in me. Once you’re out of your 20’s you begin to notice the architectural landscape change and as it does memories are erased and perhaps why the humble point and shoot camera has become the quintessential accessory. Don’t leave home without it, not even if you are just going to buy flowers because tomorrow there may be a barrier erected and the florist shop demolished, gone for good : ( ?
I lived in NYC for six years before coming to Australia.
I was living in Brisbane during the GFC but when I went home a few months later I couldn’t believe how much the city had changed.
I always had thought that NYC would immune and untouchable.
i often wonder what walls would say if they could speak! and I reckon that a lot goes into a building…love, friendship, community spirit, break-ups, get together’s, fun times, not so fun times…all that and more goes on within.
so sad to see so many places closed down, so good to see so many messages for one building.
Wow! A remarkable accomplishement for Chang and a great reminder for ourselves. I think more buildings will be on the list of Looking For Love before the world is sorted again. Thanks for sharing.