The War of Time

Calf Pasture Pumping Station, Dorchester, MA, b.1883

Over the past several weeks I have been and will be taking photos of lost but not forgotten spaces of all stripes; amusement parks, military installations, old state hospital grounds, etc. Some are posted and some are not. I have done this in fits and starts over the years. Nevertheless, I no longer want to call these places abandoned or derelict because even in various states of decay, we know they are present and they still have stories to tell even at their advanced condition. I will call them victims of Time.

Recently a man who is a self described alchemist, gave me some real metaphysical wisdom to ponder while on a walk around Walden Pond (how appropriate). In effect he said: there is no time, all there is of the future, present and past is now; it all exists now. He basically hit me with what I interpreted as Eternalism. Whether I agree or not is an open question, but the philosophy is something to put thought to considering that in my travels of New England, I am hurdling through space and time capturing experiences in one time and place only to share them in another at a later point in time.

Right now, I see Time as a personification. However, not exactly as a benevolent Father Time, but as a warmongering, Genghis Khan figure whose war march waits for no one and whose forces move in a never ending, relentless stampede of The Now. It conquers all that lie in its path or challenge its authority; an oppressive force: an Obey or Die motif if you will. This makes the views of the Enteralist more inviting and a much more pleasing alternative. 

Consequently, the phrase I am keen on using lately is chasing Time. Chasing moments, capturing what Time has done to any number of things: infrastructure, public/private spaces, etc. Crime scene photography is one way to look at it; a long forgotten X-Files episode is another ( Tithonus ) Either way, I am interested in pursuing where the evidence takes me. So if you are particular to this sort of thing, watch this space for additional evidence of Time's treachery and feel free to check album on Flickr: The War of Time Album