Collective vision revealing hidden beauty in a rustbelt town supports community projects
By Jenny Fremlin
26 Aug 2009
Braddock, Pennsylvania, has a haunting beauty that draws in photographers. From those who live in nearby Pittsburgh to travelers from around the world, something about this town grabs their attention and reveals itself in their visions.
Within these photographs there is a bridge between how the small town appears to daily commuters and what lies beneath. Beneath the abandoned buildings we find brilliant colors seeping into rough, rusted metal. Green vines, weeds, and moss overtake broken remnants of what was left behind.
This divide between the view of Braddock from a distance and the beautiful details captured by photographers sparked inspiration for me and two friends: We decided to bring the enthusiasm full circle by displaying the photographs of 28 artists featuring obscure, intriguing details of Braddock in a fundraising photo lottery to support community and artistic projects in the town that has inspired so much creative vision.
We met so many great local artists in the process of setting up the exhibition last year that we've made it into an ongoing project. What started as a single event transformed into an online gallery, art fair booths, an Etsy shop, and of course on-going submission of new photographs as Braddock is discovered with fresh perspectives.
Sound like something you want to participate in? We are all about collaboration! The outpouring of support has encouraged us to take on the challenge once again with our second exhibition and lottery coming up on September 19, 2009. Find out about entering photographs, joining in on the events, or even just keeping up with the project at www.obscuraegallery.org
Last year's event was a whirlwind of excitement that just keeps growing! Our initial goal was to have the first show in mid-December, 2008. But the gallery space was available December 5th and 6th, and we were encouraged to push it up to tap into the other events in Braddock scheduled for that weekend.
So we decided to take on the challenge: Six weeks to design and build 100 frames, contact photographers, collect or print the donated pieces, match each piece to a unique frame, mat and mount them, prepare them to hang, set up the gallery, get up the show, and throw a party. No problem!
It sounds like a reality tv show. And not unlike one, we were faced with additional challenges, both related to the show and personal, thrown our way throughout the process. There were sleepless nights, early mornings, and many pots of coffee.
With the support and enthusiasm of others in Braddock we were able to introduce visitors not only to the beauty hidden in our community through the collected visions of 28 photographers, but also the hospitality that resides here. A local baking hobbiest along with a team of helpers cranked out baguettes and pizzas in Braddock's own community wood-fired brick oven, billowing out smoke from the back corner of the gallery parking lot despite the heavy snow falling all around.
The gallery space, a former Catholic school building with a convent next door, exudes Braddock idiosyncrasies. Patches of brick peak out from chipped away plaster while exposed pipes and conduit snake through the bricks. All the while visitors trickle through the space, mingling and observing as in any gallery.
We're once again in the throes of pulling the event together. Collecting reclaimed materials to build frames, calling upon photographers for new work, assembling the latest and most insightful images ... collaborating with friends and colleagues to generate a night filled with music, wood-fired treats, and most importantly a glimpse into the hidden beauty of Braddock's underbelly.
