Arnold Block in trouble?

The Arnold block on Washington street in downtown Providence is at risk. The building suffered a fire and little seems to be happening in the way of repairs. This distinctive building is a block wide but only about one room deep, and it conceals a parking lot. Were it to come down it would open up a hole in the street scape much larger than it's limited square footage might indicate.


in better days...

infestations of bad feng shui

The show at AS220 gets a review in the Providence Phoenix. Postcards from the Mohawk Valley gets a mention, positive or negative? you decide: "Erik Gould's hardcover collection of black-and-white photos Postcards of the Mohawk Valley documents war monuments and parking lots and sad small town main streets, infested with pawn shops and signs and bad feng shui."

Holly Ewald show at AS220

Open now at the AS220 Project Space in Providence:

Languages of the Land

New Installation by Holly Ewald ..... you don't want to miss it...

also showing: In Place Everywhere An Artist's book show

Our Mohawk Valley book is on view, check it out.

Postcards from the Mohawk Valley -- The book

Postcards from...

By Erik Gould

Book Preview

The Mohawk Valley. Gateway to the West when the West was in the East. Travel along with our photographer as he makes a personal exploration of the 95 mile course of the Mohawk river between Schenectady and Rome. Geography made this area of New York State a natural transportation corridor. From Iroquois trail, to the Erie canal, to the Water Level Route of the New York Central and the New York State Thruway, millions of people and millions of tons of goods have passed through the valley. It's an area rich in history and is blessed with natural beauty, and it's an area that is struggling to adapt to changing economies. As the speed of transportation increases the Mohawk Valley has become a place passed through and a place passed by. There is a sense, and one can see this in Gould's photographs, that this is a place that time has forgot. Take a look, and share your thoughts. This Blurb book has 80 pages printed on their premium stock with a hardcover binding. Available now. Images and text by Erik Gould.

PRC Juried Publication!

Postcards from the Mohawk Valley

We are proud to announce that an image from our new series Postcards from the Mohawk Valley has been selected for the Photographic Resource Center Juried Publication. This publication is available now all around the Boston area and through the PRC.

Postcards from the Mohawk Valley is a series of text and images from the picturesque and damaged Mohawk Valley region of upstate New York. This project is more a personal exploration rather than documentary survey and represents 5 years of work executed during our photographer's "free time". A preview slide show can be seen here or click on the image above. A book version will be coming soon! More details to follow.

Meanwhile -- Thank you PRC!

What I did over my summer vacation

Well, to start, I didn't take a vacation... I worked for Providence instead. I lead a team of young photographers as part of a city Summer Youth Employment program. Because of the recession the city expanded the summer programs to include the arts. Go Providence!

This is the City Photo Crew.

Over 8 weeks in July and August went all over the city shooting digital photos, videos and instant film.

Thank you to Yessenia, Jossmill, Amber, Markia, Kenny and Hayden. Thanks too to my assistants Hannah and Brett. Lots of work and Lots of fun.

Check out the work on our youtube channel. follow the link or tune in to 09photocrew.

For more info on the city program follow this linkage: press release
also, the Mayor's wrap up press conference. mayor speaks

and I have to give a shout out to my fellow project artists: the tapeart crew. They did some amazing things with their group check it out here. Look at Ocean Riser... incredible!

All this and more possible in part because of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act -- The Stimulus Program.

Chimi Trucks on Broad Street

Photo essay by Erik, John, Jesse and Adrienne is up now on the new Providence Creative Capital online magazine. Pictures and audio!

Kodachrome RIP

Narragansett Electric sign
Originally uploaded by e_pics

Kodak retires Kodachrome. The King is dead.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090622-707645.html

What remains

Gorham Carriage house fire
Originally uploaded by e_pics

Here is the scene on April 16th. Nothing much left of the Gorham carriage house. Officials were there and they wouldn't let me past the fence. No matter, it was a total loss.

Gorham carriage house destroyed by fire

The carriage house at the former Gorham Manufacturing site was destroyed by fire Wednesday night. The Providence Journal is reporting that the fire is suspicious in origin. The 1890 structure was the last of 35 buildings that once occupied the 11 acre site near Elmwood Ave. in Providence. The building was being renovated to be the home of the Providence Fire Museum. The paper also reports that anything remaining of the structure will be demolished on Friday.

On view at Providence Art Club

Now on view at the Providence Art Club. Pinhole images made with a trashcan pinhole camera.

Up through March 27, 2009

see another image here.

Enduring value

This is a rubbing taken from a sidewalk near our studio in Pawtucket. These markers can be found all over Rhode Island, on bridges, underpasses, piers, in state parks and in town squares. Many of these markers are found on modest public works like sidewalks, easily taken for granted. No reason why we shouldn't take them for granted, but consider that these constructions have been serving us for 70+ years. How do you measure the return on such an investment? How many lives have been saved by a railroad underpass? What kind of dollar figure can be put on a stand of trees planted by the CCC? What is a sidewalk worth to a neighborhood? Can one honestly say that the money spent during the Depression was just stolen from future generations who got nothing in return?

Our sidewalk here is still in good condition but many of these projects are reaching the end of their service. We could do well to emulate the eduring legacy these WPA plaques represent. It is remarkable that many of the people who criticize this type of public investment are the very same people who thought it was a good idea to airlift pallets of cash into Iraq, money never to be seen again.

Let's spend the People's money on the People and do some nation (re)building here at home.

For more on the WPA and the New Deal I point you to Nick Taylor's book: American Made.

Want to voice your opinion on the stimulus program? Call the Congressional switchboard:
202-224-3121

Dr. Downtown needs a chill pill

The RISD Chace Center... Providence Journal critic David Brussat has taken a few not unexpected shots at this building, in fact he has been downright mean. His assessment is neither thoughtful nor well argued but he does write for the state's only major newspaper and so it is difficult to ignore his self-absorbed ramblings. In short, his criticism boils down to something to the effect of: "this facade doesn't fit my narrow idea of beauty, therefore it is junk." This is his basic boilerplate. Sometimes, as was the case with the Chace Center, he adds this nifty addendum: "anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool, oh and by the way, the emperor seems to be naked." Well, Dr. Downtown is wrong again, but don't take my word for it. Other more qualified critics have weighed in with favorable reviews but don't just take their words either. Keep an open mind and go see it for yourself: walk around the outside of building, go up the stairs, explore the terrace and the other interesting public spaces on the way to Benefit street. By all means go inside! Check out the galleries and look out the windows. If you do that you will have done much more than Brusset took the trouble to do.

Watch the Inauguration

Big day! The first of many. This will be a busy year for RIPS too, hopefully I will keep up with reporting it here... but first things first let's watch Mr. Obama take office!

edit: hulu link removed because they get on my nerves.