Artist Statement

Our town… fading glimpses of the Midwest

For most of the twentieth century, the Midwest was characterized by thriving towns and neighborhoods bolstered by a plethora of manufacturing companies. Jobs were plentiful and created a climate where neighborhoods and the people who lived there prospered. In the ’80s this changed, and the Midwest entered a period of decline as manufacturing jobs were allowed to leave the country, and these once flourishing towns plummeted into ghosts of themselves.

I grew up in Northeastern Ohio just before the demise of the factory towns. As a child, with two working parents, our neighborhood became my playground, as well as my teacher and friend. Whether on my bike or on foot, I came to know every alley and street. As I grew, the town became a part of me, and I became a part of it. Intertwined together, this was my home.

Today, many towns and neighborhoods in the Midwest have been bulldozed into parking lots and strip malls. Others are now hidden behind antiseptic restorations that create theme park versions of what once was there. Although much has been lost, these images document my search for the remnants and last glimpses of my childhood — preserved in plain sight, these spaces provide a view into the past.

Website

www.robinwbailey.com