Via Scouting New York:
The following article was produced in
participation with the Partners in
Preservation program, which will be awarding $3 million in grants to
historic sites across New York City based on your votes – so go vote now!
Chances are, when you think of
Ellis Island, you
picture just one building…
The “Main Building,” a Beaux-Arts masterpiece built
in 1900, through which millions of immigrants passed until its closure in 1954.
Today, it houses the Immigration Museum, and if you’ve ever visited on a school
field trip, or passed through on a vacation, this is where you spent your
day.
One question: while you were there, did you happen
to turn around…
…and notice the row of gorgeous Belgian-style
buildings across the water? The ones that seem to be totally abandoned?
Perhaps Wilkes’ most ambitious project was photographing the south side of Ellis Island (1998 – 2003). With his exclusive photographs and video work, Wilkes was able to help secure $6 million in funding to restore the south side of the island. Today all that remains of the past are Wilkes' haunting images. These photographs have appeared in The New York Times Magazine and have won numerous awards including American Photographer, The Art Directors Club, Applied Arts Magazine, Graphis and other industry awards. Wilkes continues to be involved with his passion for Ellis Island, working with the "Save Ellis Island" foundation. Wilkes received the Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for magazine photography, and in 2004 he received the Lucie Award for Fine Art Photographer Of The Year Award. His work is in the permanent collection of several important museum collections. Ellis Island: Ghosts of Freedom was published by W.W. Norton & Company in the fall of 2006, and was accompanied by
a major exhibition at Monroe Gallery of Photography October 6 – January 7, 2007.
No comments:
Post a Comment