I had been emotionally detached from the stories behind the abandonment before . I looked at abandoned stuff like prizes to be won . But my friend , when I asked him if he wanted to take anything , convicted me with his words . He said that he felt a little bit like Aladdin and the treasure , and that it wasn ’ t his to take . He saw the connection between broken lives and the things that littered the buildings , unlike me .
Then , we entered the cathedral and all the stories hit me . These weren ’ t just fun photos to take anymore , these were stories to be guarded and told with the upmost amount of dignity . This cathedral no longer felt like a building , it felt like a victim that was crying out for redemption and respect .
My attitude before had been one that added to the problem and further destruction of Detroit . This city has been exploited for personal gain far too much . The people have been used and treated like products . The photos that were contained in my camera shouldn ’ t be used to add to the exploitation by just adding to my portfolio . Taking these photos meant to sign on to a responsibility to use this art to display truth . If I just used them for my own gain , this would add to the destruction of dignity and further commercialization of souls . To really be part of restorative art means that the weight of it is far more than my own gain . It ’ s about telling the truth with respect to the subject .
How would I display these pictures and use them ? I have the choice of displaying them in a glamorous way , adding to the same illusion of cool abandoned buildings photos that I was under …. or I could show them in a way that connects others to the stories . That ’ s harder , but I can ’ t settle for less than that . As an artist , I have a responsibility to respond to what I saw truthfully .
These weren ’ t just ruins that I could emotionally disengage from because it happened hundreds of years ago . The exploitation and abandonment is still taking place .
I felt the desperation of the city , and understood why it ’ s one of the most dangerous cities in the United States . In cities like Chicago , LA , and New York there are large areas that are extremely dangerous and have increasing crime rates . But these places are still thriving cities , with enough legal industry to capitalize on . Jobs can still be found , and the cities have markets that still see a rise . Detroit seems to be barely hanging on . She has been exploited , stripped , and laid bare .
So then the people there are left to fend for themselves . The whole city reads of this kind of desperation , not just particular areas .
So how can we approach a city like this , and begin any kind of restorative work ?
After leaving the church building , we were approached by a man who was asking for money and food to take care of his family . We talked with him , gave him the resources we could ( food , blankets , a couple of bucks ) and prayed with him .
It ’ s hard for me not to feel like that will never be enough in the grand scheme of his life . But it was all we had to offer in that moment . But what will happen to him now ?
This man had three broken ribs at the time we talked to him , all from the walk home after trying to find resources to provide for his family . It is very likely that he was a dealer or at least had a drug dependency , but that should not cause us to dismiss his story . Looking at his surroundings and where he ’ s at , he has no choice . The economic desperation of this city has left the citizens fighting to survive by whatever means possible . I think most , when faced with the decision to sell drugs or let their family starve to death , would choose to sell .
This is one of the places that fuels human trafficking . I have heard it said that humans are a prized commoditybecause they can be sold repeatedly . Drugs and weapons are sold once , and that ’ s that . But a woman or man who is being sold for sex can be sold dozens of times in one night . I don ’ t like it at all . It doesn ’ t sit well with my soul , nor should it . But the economic benefits of this industry make logical sense . This is not a moral dilemma when compared to the threat of death . Survival doesn ’ t offer the option of a moral high road .
Walking through Detroit and seeing her bones laid bare beneath our feet felt surreal . It felt like we had entered a war zone within the USA . It also convicted me to rethink my approach to photography . The reason I love photography , is the power to connect people to a story . It has the power to bring people to care , in a country that deals with problems through apathy instead of action . We are very good at compartmentalizing things , and staying uninvolved when things do not directly relate to us . But good art wakes people up and confronts our apathy , leaving them with some kind of feeling .
So how can we as artists , respond to the desperate need that supplies poverty and human trafficking ? How can we turn from creating things only for our own personal gain , to instead seeking to speak up for those who have investing all their energy into their own survival ? I can ’ t explain the sense of responsibility I have burning in my soul now . I made a resolution to not display any of the photos from this trip on Facebook , because I do not want them to be viewed as “ just a picture ” and to be complemented on the composure . Lighting and composure isn ’ t the focus . They are tools to help tell a much larger story . I do not want people to be able to disconnect from the stories behind the photos . This place needs to be shown with respect to the abuse that it has gone through .
We have a responsibility with our art . It is easy to get caught up in the strictly commercial aspect of art . It ’ s simple to use art to bring attention to myself . But that ’ s not the story I want to tell . I do not want to exploit someone else ’ s story for my own gain . Wouldn ’ t that be similar to those who exploit other people for their own economic gain ? Behind a camera , I have the ability to either destroy and mistreat someone else , or instead to empower them and give dignity to their story . With every piece of art , there is a choice in what story is being told . Is it a story of hope and restoration , or one of exploitation and capitalism ?