8.24.2007

more early places


The Light In Mrs. Johnson's Room ©kjm

I've been photographing my childhood home for years now, in an attempt to capture places that remain unchanged from my youth. At some point, I began calling the series, Early Places, because I knew that there were other pictures to be made, outside of the house.

Last week, I spent a quiet afternoon inside my former grade school, wandering and looking, and feeling like everything had become smaller. The school is two connected buildings - one from the early 1900's, with terrazzo floors and dark, varnished wooden doors - and the other is from the early 1960's, which now seems very mid-century modern cool. Both buildings have been lovingly cared for, and I was surprised to see how little had changed in all this time.

While in the school, I felt the way I do when I'm making pictures in the house: lucky - to have this chance to closely examine something, some place, from many years past.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dude--
I was there with you in Mrs Robinson's class. I see the pattern in the ceiling tile from Lincoln Elementary there, and I come to the conclusion that nothing is sacred beyond memory.
But in memory, every step covers miles, years, and even more.
Pretty fucking awesome.

Anonymous said...

Nice picture of a light, how about a picture of the field goal post painted on the wall from 1976!

Tamara Reynolds said...

I love this series. I am so glad you are recording these things.