Gowanus Impressions 6:08:50 - Limited Edition 9 of 20 Photograph

The Gowanus Canal, and the land surrounding it, is toxic. It is also very beautiful and very valuable. Those of us who have grown to love the Canal and its environs may likely mourn its passing some day. Where now there is a haunting, gritty, chimerical beauty, there may some day be another predictable high rise condominium; where now artists work in old silos and warehouses, franchise stores may some day rise up. Although I have photographed Gowanus numerous times over the years, it’s only recently that I’ve made images that have felt deeply satisfying to me. These efforts of mine culminate at a time when the area appears to be at a crossroads, and perhaps that is why the Canal has finally given up its secrets to me. Or, perhaps my inner creative urgency was awakened by the immediacy of the present situation. There are pressing concerns and interests at stake. Federal Superfunds vs. development is the primary issue. What the community does and how it gathers its forces may ultimately provide the answers to the complex questions and pressures that face this project. Seventeen photographs from the Gowanus Impressions series is in the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Historical Society