A year ago, I became interested in photographing surfaces where juxtapositions of spilled or running paint, a crack in the wall, a streak of rust, a splash of water, a shadow, can create interesting and intriguing images โ what I call unintended art. Thatโs when I came across 2205 Mission St., at 18th โ at one time, an appliance store.
The building, which MEDA recently purchased, has been unoccupied for more than ten years. In that time, the outer wall surfaces have had parts torn off, or fallen off, been coated and re-coated in graffiti, painted and re-painted to cover up graffiti, had posters posted, then ripped off, and other โstuffโ splattered randomly here and there.
It was extraordinary. Amongst the decay, deterioration and filth, I saw images โ images that resonated right away, images that were very apparent to me, images that I thought I could cut out and hang on my wall just as I saw them there, grime and all.
โBloodโ was the first photograph I took (which I do have hanging on my wall).
I got down on my knees to get the shot.
I went back to 2205 Mission weekly, sometimes more often. There was a lot of wall, and a lot more images to be had โ I could feel it. And there was a constant sense of urgency to get them, because as graffiti came and went, and as pieces of the wall disappeared, so did potential subject matter, I realized. As did images Iโd already taken. Often, Iโd go back a day or a week after Iโd taken a photograph, only to find the scene gone.
โReal Violenceโ
The statementโs faintness seemed contrary.
โDay Afterโ
I took this the day after the election. It expresses how I felt.
โWater & Wavesโ
โBeer Postersโ
โThe Cavernโ
โAngelโ
Related content:
A history of the building at 18th and Mission Streets
Non-profit buys decaying building. December 19, 2017
It is clear that this building contains timeless art and is an historical resource to the community. MEDA should not be allowed to gentrify the neighborhood by building housing there. At least those are the arguments that will be made by Calle 24.
Urban blight is ugly. People who see it as inspiration for art projects are welcome to photograph some piles of junk at the nearest landfill or recycling center. Meanwhile, people who care about the Mission can get to work developing run-down buildings into market-rate housing.