Wednesday, May 13, 2009

McKain Street Erased


McKain Street, after Katrina

My mom reports that McKain Street in New Orleans has been bulldozed. I feel like a psychic umbilical chord has been cut. Our history being erased.

This is why I make photographs. To preserve what life must destroy. It’s a melancholy art. Embalming loved memories.

She writes:
"beautiful day - bridget and her husband came and got me and lorraine and we drove the back way down hwy 90 down chef menteur hwy and we went to visit mckain street and were totally shocked to find that it has been torn down and is no longer in existense...just a vacant lot...the only thing left of mommas house was the top part of the front porch bulldozed over to the front side of the lot and her two concrete flower pots...which we took as our mothers day gifts...one for me and one for lorraine. after the shock of mckain street gone, it did make me joyful to know that no crackhead would live in her house again...another door of the past closed and it makes your pictures of it even more precious to us!"