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2013 Canalstreet - 34th Street
I made the photographs for this (book) project between 1982 and 2012 on the west side of Man- hattan, between Canal Street and West 34th Street. In 1982, I was still using an analog camera, and my photos were mostly in black and white. Over time, I started working with colors, and later, I exclusively took color photos. I didn’t photograph this area every year but only when I happened to be in New York City. I took photos in this area whenever I felt like it.
While I undoubtedly missed many changes, it’s not a problem because this work, for me, is a poem; a visual poem about a part of Manhattan that I find exceptionally beautiful. My visual poem is chronological, starting in 1982 and ending in 2012. Over thirty years, the neighborhoods in this part of Manhattan underwent dramatic transformation. Once dilapidated industrial areas, they have now turned into prosperous enclaves for those who can afford a luxurious lifestyle, resulting in many challenges for those who can no longer afford it (gentrification). The Highline, now a renowned city park, has preserved a portion of the old elevated railway system that once carried freight since the early 19th century. Thanks to the Highline, we can still experience the grandeur of another time and view the revitalized neighborhoods from a unique perspective.
Thirty years have passed, and that means I am thirty years older. Inside, I still feel the same. My appearance may have changed since thirty years ago, but my inner experience is still largely the same as it was then. I believe the same holds true for this part of Manhattan.
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