When I had heard that, A Beautiful Ghetto was a book of pictures that depicted a time of turmoil in the history of Baltimore I did not expect receive too much out of it. To my surprise, this book may have delivered the greatest impact on me out of any piece read this semester. It was shocking, upsetting, scary, and hopeful all at the same time. I think that is what author Devin Allen intended when composing this impactful work of art. Having lived here part time for three years as a student it has been a learning experience in itself. From my arrival in Baltimore a year after the Freddie Gray riots to participating in inner city service learning, this city has been instrumental in teaching me about rebuilding a city and the lives of those impacted following the period of turmoil. Crime and violence is clearly still a threat to the civilians of Baltimore but through Allen’s photos you can see that there is so much more to the city than crime, in fact it is a city filled with people looking to better their own lives and the lives of their neighbors.
Another preconceived notion I had about this piece was what I would have to do with time other than the fact that it dealt with events of the past. However, looking closer at the photos I began to realize that the medium of photography is actually quite timeless. These photographs contain snapshots in time, but it seems that they would have an impact for many years to come in a sort of transcendent fashion. Following my experience with Allen’s compilation of photos and poetry, I began to think that as the camera flashes and you hear the shudder of the lens this moment is frozen and preserved for eternity in this photograph. These pictures will allow the viewer to be transported to this period of time and invites them to experience the story behind the photograph. Normally I would think of a picture as something fleeting in time and once it was taken it would be irrelevant in a few days. Allen’s impact through his art form has completely changed my mind as I felt instantly transported in time from the stunning black and white portraits of a city enveloped in unrest. Despite the dark and destructive images presented they present a timeline that looks to a future of hope. Allen presents the photos in a specific order that chronicles the rising tension leading up to these riots, and illustrates a future of peace and hope that the citizens of this city will unite and work towards. Not only are the photos impactful individually, but Allen’s words and insightful stories that accompany them only increase their strong influence on the reader.
No comments:
Post a Comment