Pearson Phillips

Curatorial Rationale

My exhibition culminates years of research, interest in historic buildings, and personal

growth and learning. Initially, I looked at historic buildings from an aesthetic perspective, but

over the years I have found photography to be a method of expression and self-exploration,

using these historic buildings as both a backdrop and subject in most of my personal work. I’ve

been photographing abandoned buildings for documentary reasons since I was 13, but this

body of work connects that work to myself. My hope is that my body of work is a display of

self-expression as well as an exploration of the preservation battles that historic architecture

face. I also hope this body of work sparks an increased interest in historic architecture and its

merits and benefits to us. My vision for presenting this body of work is to represent change

within myself and in historic architecture. This body of work was shot over a period of time

where I experienced a massive amount of personal growth and I aimed to include this in my

work. I attempted to include this personal change by focusing on points of change within these

structures and comparing that to myself. Additionally, this body of work was a chance for me to

explore local architecture through research, as I was choosing buildings to photograph based on

how threatened they were by development.

The themes most present in my work are change and change for better or worse. My

work is inspired by artists like Christopher Payne, who photographed vacant psychiatric

hospitals over 8 years, and Matthew Lambros who has been photographing theaters in various

stages of the preservation process for over 10 years. Both of these artists' work can tie back to

history and research and that is something I heavily appreciate and personally incorporate.

Lambros’ usage of straight on compositions to give an overview of whole theater interiors

inspired my compositions throughout this project. Lambros’ connections between history and his

photographs also inspired the personal research aspect of my project. It’s also worth noting that

I have been photographing decaying structures before I started this specific project and before I

went into high school. I used photography as my medium because by the nature of architecture

and buildings, I wanted to capture these places in the most accurate and representative way

possible. All of the buildings included in my body of work were built with form over function in

mind, and photography is the most effective way of capturing this without additional alterations

or human errors.

Ordering my work for the exhibition was unexpectedly difficult because of the kinds of

images I have in my exhibition. I wanted to order the portrait images and the landscape images

in a way that doesn't disrupt viewing or is asymmetrical. I have an abnormal amount of

portrait-orientation images in my body of work because portrait allows me to include more

‘depth’ in a photo. Of course it depends on the subject, but a lot of my subjects are buildings

that are taller than they are wide, which means I generally chose the more dominant side. This

meant I had to order 8 images in an orderly manner and give appropriate space to the 2

landscape images in my portfolio. I paid extra attention to the vibrance of colors present in each

image, the compositions(either straight on or from an angle), and the subject matter. The

connection between each of these images is that the buildings featured are all undergoing some

sort of physical change, whether that be vandalism, demolition, or renovation. The kind of

physical change that is happening was also a factor in the way I ordered my work.

The overall vision of my work is using historic architecture undergoing some sort of

physical change as a vessel for exploring personal change. The physical change seen in

buildings that are decaying, under construction/renovation, or the lack thereof while sitting idle is

comparative to a lot of emotional and figurative change that humans undergo during their

developmental years. Making these comparisons allowed me to have a greater understanding

of myself and the historic buildings around me.

Stripped Church

This is a picture of a colorful abandoned church in Buffalo, New York that has been closed since the 1990s. This church has seen extensive vandalism and decay and has fallen into disrepair alongside the neighborhood surrounding it. This building, along with the cross and other religious symbols present, are representative of how religion has become a smaller and smaller part of my life as I’ve grown older.

Uniform

This is a photograph of the Masonic Temple in downtown Austin, Texas which is threatened by bizarre redevelopment plans designed by a largely disliked local architect. The tree on the left being alive with the tree on the right being dead along with the scum growing on the building shows how this once-magnificent place has been largely forgotten and unappreciated. This is representative of feeling unappreciated in your own place or home.

The Beginning of The End

This is a photograph of Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas that was taken during the beginning phases of the tower’s demolition. I used the graffitied shell of the building to represent a change for the worst. The graffiti is symbolic of the beginning of the end as this means the hospital’s tight security has relaxed before it is completely demolished.

Shaky Staircase

This is a photograph of the main building at Austin State Hospital that has undergone extensive renovation after being largely vacant for many many years. The brand new shiny windows juxtaposed with the rusty staircase show how some parts of the building have been tended to while others haven’t. This is representative of how self-care is not a one-stop thing, and it’s a process that involves many aspects and steps.

Save Pease

This is a photograph of Pease Elementary in Austin, Texas taken a few months before the school closed for good. The signs that say ‘save pease’ show the students’ enthusiasm for their school and its importance as a historical landmark, as it was the oldest operating school in Texas. The closing school building is representative of how students feel passionate about their school, despite maybe having a distaste for academics.

Powerhouse Collapse

This is a photograph of a former power plant in Philadelphia, considered by many to be one of the most magnificent power plant buildings on earth, and it has been abandoned since the 1980s. The building itself is representative of how America treats historic architecture in general, and it’s similarities to the old Penn Station in New York are an allegory to how that building was demolished despite widespread protest. The collapsing glass ceiling is symbolic of feeling like you are a shell of what you once were.

Hanging On By a Thread

This is a photograph of a partially vacant state hospital located east of Dallas, Texas taken many years after this portion of the building closed. I used the dangling light fixture to symbolize feeling like you are on the edge of completely falling apart, but still hang on regardless. The light fixture dangling by a very small wire as well as the peeling paint surrounding it is also representative of the effect your mental state can have on those around you.

Closed Off

This is a photograph of a former post office and University of Texas office building in downtown Austin, Texas during its redevelopment into a commercial skyscraper. The tree on the right as well as the sole unboarded door show that only one part of the building is ‘alive’, representative of feeling like you aren’t wholly yourself or complete.

Breaking Barriers

This is a photograph of a bank vault located in the Peoples Building in McKeesport, Pennsylvania taken during renovation. I used the deteriorating once-magnificent vault to represent rebounding after a low point in life. The vault has been decaying for many years, the power being on and the vault being open are symbolic of making it out of a difficult time.

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