From Jeremiah's Vanishing New York: "New York has been changing since its inception. That's obvious. Blocks and buildings rise and fall. Seventy years ago, half of Houston Street vanished from the city--and the city survived. But today the rate of change has become excessive. Block after block after block, New York is devoured. We don't get one Marc Jacobs store, we get half a dozen. Such is the inevitable march of progress today. The things worth looking at in this city are dwindling. What we take in visually becomes our thoughts. When we look in the window of a pawnshop, we see stories--wedding rings tell of love lost and betrayed, guitars speak of dreams deferred, typewriters tell more tales than we can imagine here. What will our thoughts become when all that's left to see are the blank faces of condstrosities?"
13 comments:
Something else we see when we look into that pawn shop window is our own reflection in the glass ... and just like NYC our physical features have morphed over the years.
You said it, Ken. I had no idea so much of NYC was morphing into corporate sameness. Keep snapping those photos, my friend. Keep a record!
Today you've captured one of NYC ex-libris, at least that will not be torn down (I hope!).
Crazy isn't it? I really enjoyed your post today :)
We hear ya KM. Keep at it my friend. Some of us are listening unfortuntately not the ones with the moolah!
This might be one reason why I have mixed feelings about ever coming back to NYC to visit. My last visit about 10 years ago left me so depressed and wondering if what I remember from living in WSV in the 60's was just a figment of my imagination or really real because so much of my visual memory has been obliterated by bland and boring buildings and shops.
Luckily I do have some pictures from that previous life.
Like this one:
http://rchrd.com/photo/wp/2008/10/12/square/
Is it progress, or reverse amnesia?
"What we take in visually becomes our thoughts."
Yes it does.
everyone should check out rchrds shots of old NY, they are fantastic!
Thanks for keeping track of old New York, Ken!!
Love the wet fountain!
what you have written is hard to accept, but it is true. I am glad you are documenting what is left.
I checked out the older photo of Washington Square, that is really neat!
Wooowww! I was about to ask if the constructions are done until I saw the 2007 in the title. :-(
Fantastic!! BRAVO, amazing shots you made!! well done!
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