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Curatorial Rationale
Curatorial Rationale
My overall idea for my exhibition explores gentrification in my hometown, Austin, Texas. Because of recent developments in the city, it has become extremely transformed in the past years and I wanted to document the contrast between ‘old’ and ‘new’ Austin. By presenting this work, I am hoping to bring light to the major gentrification in Austin and to get others to feel as if it is important as well. Preserving Austin and trying to keep it as authentic as possible is such a passionate subject and by showing off this project I hope to inspire a sense of urgency in others as well. I hope that the impact this project will have on my audience will be enough to inspire other Austinites to step up and to their part to end gentrification in the area. My vision for presenting this body of work is to express gentrification in photographs that make an impact on the viewers of my art.
The particular issues and motifs in this project have been explored in ways such as angle definition in my photos to help certain aspects stand out as well as the use of my environment to portray my idea. By using digital photography, I am able to show the most real, raw form of my composition by showing exactly what it looks like in the real world. Being able to use photoshop also allowed me to make subtle changes very easily, as opposed to any different forms of photography such as film where it is much more difficult to make certain subtle changes. Certain themes such as change and transformation play a role in this project and they were both experienced when I really took a step back and realized how much my city has changed overtime since I’ve lived here. At the beginning, I chose this project not because I was inspired by another artist but because when I walked downtown and didn’t recognize any of the high rises and swanky restaurants. I felt lost in a place I grew up my whole life. As my project progressed, I found artists such as Joseph Young, a man who is also passionate about the gentrification in his hometown and decided to document it the same. His work helped influence mine in the way that he photographed old buildings he knew and loved that were soon demolished. His work is very inspiring and helped pave the way for my project.
I chose to exhibit the way that I organized my work based on the couplets of photos I have to show how they work together as well as separately. Many of my photos in this exhibition are in pairs, and therefore I organized them in a way where the viewer can see the pairs as well as interpret all of the photos separately. The way that I arranged the photos support the relationship of the works presented in a way that they can all intertwine together as one general concept but also be paired with another of the same general composition while still giving the viewer variety in images.
Uproot
Uproot
My concept for this image was to depict Austin as it's changing and growing. You can't walk around without seeing a crane and I wanted to capture them as they continued to gentrify east Austin. Right next to these cranes is a new bar that is newly opened, yet the bar is connected to a crumbling old house that seemed to be on its last legs. The cranes go hand in hand with the way Austin is becoming more different, and you can also see them in the background of 6th and Waller Part Two.
Out With the Old
Out With the Old
For this image, i wanted to capture 'old vs new' Austin, to show how the big changes being done to the city are overshadowing the cool parts that made it so unique in the first place.This photo was taken in the heart of downtown and for this image I really wanted to capture an older building compared to one that was just built. This is an image of a newly built condo building behind or 'overshadowing' an old brownstone on 5th street.
Flamingoes
Flamingoes
This is an image of a girl shopping in an expensive vintage store downtown. I had originally taken this photo for a 'movement' assignment but fits perfectly for my body of work. The concept behind this photo was capturing the movement of shoppers at a local vintage store in Austin off of Guadalupe. It is a very new establishment and most things are extremely expensive. The gentrification of Austin is shown here through the location, price, and audience of the store.
6th and Waller pt 1
6th and Waller pt 1
For this image I wanted to show that on the corner of 6th and Waller there is this lavish grand hotel, yet on the other side there is an old run down building. This area is being heavily gentrified, and this street corner was perfect because on the other side, there was a completely different scene that depicted this area before it was built up. This street sign is important because it is what makes this image a strong part of my collection and connects the other image with it.
6th and Wallet pt 2
6th and Wallet pt 2
My concept for this image was to capture the run down side of this street corner. This old, boarded up building is covered in graffiti and posters and seems to be unusable. On this same corner, there is a newly built hotel, yet this abandoned building is right next to it. I wanted to capture the duality this street had and the gentrification involved. My goal was to include the stop sign so it would align with the other photo in its set.
The Brixton
The Brixton
For this photo I wanted to capture gentrification through the contrast of these two buildings despite their proximity to each other. This image captures a run down building connected to a new bar. The iron fence meant to keep people out is prominent next to a boarded up window. This is a highly gentrified part of Austin and this bar is fairly new. The buildings are right next to a construction sight and across the street is another new bar. Two blocks away a homeless camp resides in the street.
Overgrowth
Overgrowth
For this image I wanted to show the aging of this building to express gentrification, as well as capture the way that the building looked under the flowers.The photo includes many vines and flowers covering the abandoned building that have obviously been growing for some time. This overgrowth covers this entire building yet stops when the connected building begins, a new swanky bar. I wanted to capture the way Austin is changing, yet through a part that hasn't changed.
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