The Inevitable Collapse

May 26, 2025

As I left this morning, a freight train blasted past carrying trainload after trainload of vintage cars, probably 200 of them stacked up like an adult collection of Hot Wheels. All kinds, though the only one that I recognized was a Lamborghini Countach, that classic ‘80s cocaine-fueled muscle car. Others were of a more sedate variety. Where they were headed, no idea.

But that was just a simple vignette as I left this morning. I couldn’t find a hook to it, so this story departs as quick as it came.

Now to what really matters. Which to be honest, I am really not sure. I am heading into the phase where I have pretty concrete ideas that have potential, but then the reality of turning these ‘fantastic’ ideas into actions is starting to make its presence known. That’s a very passive way of saying: I’m not sure what I propose is going to work. I refer mostly to my idea of working with a large group of local photographers to make a simultaneous view of the bridge, what I called a distributed photograph. While I still stand behind this, the practicality of organizing such a large group, and ensuring everyone stays committed, is a tall order.

So yesterday I decided to walk around and start photographing, more than just “field report” snapshots, but to really start exploring the site with my camera in a way that I know how. Think Gary Winogrand, who said “ I photograph to find out what something will look like photographed .” That’s what I decided to do, too. What kinds of transformations will my ideas take once committed to photographic form? I always believe that making photographs is the best form of research. It is situated and particular to the moment, and the translation of the site via light into representation always reveals something.

I haven’t had sufficient time to really look at these photos; usually I prefer to wait weeks if not months to re-examine what I have, but I don’t have that luxury; I feel compelled to conjure up a plausible plan that can work in the background in case my distributed photograph doesn’t work.

And yet there is something electric in knowing that my idealized plan might be doomed. I have been doing this long enough to know that of course the idea can never fully subscribe to your vision, and in fact the moment of collapse is the most difficult — yet rewarding — artistic moment one can have. It is here where the unexpected arises, defying your neatly plotted designs in favour of some sort of otherworldly chaos that heightens the original.

So I anticipate its arrival…