The Negative Space

When we think of cities, we think mostly of buildings surrounded by cement with a few flourishes of plant life to soften the hard edges. Philadelphia is one such city and was a major contributor to the building of America and its industrial might. Today, most of the industry has gone, leaving behind their industrial style buildings and the homes of their workers. Over time these once productive neighborhoods have become derelict, filled with decay, trash, abandoned cars and crime. William Penn, Philadelphia’s founding father, had an initial vision of Philadelphia as a ‘Green Country Towne’ with stately homes surrounded by gardens occupying the area of a city block. His vision was lost as the city grew, blocks were quickly subdivided and sold and a crowded urban fabric was created. In the past decade, Philadelphia implemented a program to help these decaying neighborhoods clean up and revitalize. The program razed vacant homes and buildings, sometimes leaving behind whole city blocks of green in what were once condensed and uninviting areas. In some sections, one lonely row home remains awkwardly standing on its own, sheared from the mass of bricks that once defined the block. The neglect and decay of these neighborhoods is now tempered with open space and colored with lush, vibrant vegetation, giving us a glimpse into Penn’s founding vision. The open spaces have been around for only a few short years. Since making these images, the land is once again being reclaimed by buildings, some of which are highly priced townhomes that stand in stark contrast to the decrepit neighborhoods which surround them. As the city cleared neighborhoods of neglected properties, it inadvertently opened up previously unseen views of remaining buildings and shed new light with a different visual perspective on the Philadelphia cityscape. The imagery I am creating gives focus and perspective to this fleeting new landscape.