Photos from my iphone 4 on a walk through one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Hamilton, Ontario. This is where I live, and am interested in the notions of abandoned signs, blocked windows and unused doors within communities as formal compositions. These photos are research for my current studio practice, and one can’t help but think about the potential of this area for arts and culture. I think it would transform the area but is that what the current residents would want? I don’t know.
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change in any environment is inevitable. i can see it now… “attention current residents of barton village, do you want barton village to remain one of hamilton’s poorest neighbourhoods? are you “good” with the empty storefronts and inescapable markers of abandonment?” I think we know what their answers would be. parkdale in toronto was once a high end area and then it went downhill. people complained that it had gone downhill. decades later, its gone uphill and people complain that its become too yuppy (aka “uphill”). its mostly the same though despite the yuppies. its obvious that the area around barton village was once more happening and prosperous than it is now (perhaps pre-Jackson Square and Limeridge) and is like so much of hamilton in that it has so much potential,,, barton village will become gentrified and i don’t think its a bad thing, its simply inevitable.