Pittsburgh in Photography

Being passionate about both Pittsburgh and photography, few months ago I decided to put them together, for a personal project. Having some time to explore the city and increase my technical skills, I also started to study quite seriously anything I could discover about my two subjects. 

The first useful tool in my double research was discovering an issue of Next Level (whose tagline is art/photography/ideas) about Pittsburgh. It is published in London and each number focuses on one city, from any part of the World, provided it is vibrant and creative enough. PGH can definitely check both.

That particular issue, edition #22, was also related to the Pittsburgh Photo Fair that occurred in May 2013. That event, together with the Next Level zine, were the first steps of my research on Pittsburgh in the world of photography. My research, actually, started getting more and more interesting as I kept discovering that, nowadays, there is too little photography about Pittsburgh. I mean: about the contemporary Pittsburgh. 

We have great shots by Charles Teenie Harries or by Eugene Smith (just to quote the biggest projects) and you can always find the photo you need, about the very old Pittsburgh, on the Historic Pittsburgh Image Collections. That is a website which I love, but there is little about what's going on now, or recently, about WHAT IS REALLY PITTSBURGH, TODAY.  

screenshot of the website

Charles Humphrey, executive director of the Pittsburgh Filmmakers since 1992, is pretty clear about this, in the opening article on Next Level #22. He says that until 5 years ago there was no BFA in photography, in Pittsburgh and the region, and the one that is now offered at Point Park University is connected to the journalism department. Even the Carnegie Museum of Art didn't recruited a photo curator until 2009 and in the history of the city, the most prolific photographers were coming from outside the region. They were focusing, in particular, on documenting Pittsburgh's Renaissance I project (1946-1973). 

According to him, even the most popular photographers currently active, who come from the Pittsburgh area, are mainly working (and being collected) elsewhere. Charlie thinks that Pittsburghers sometimes fail to recognize what they have.

With these intro to my study, I started looking for books about Pittsburgh, starting from the Pittsburgh Filmmakers Library. In my first session, I found these Photography books:

• Pittsburgh. Photos by Lynn Johnson - Spradlin Patrick 1987

• Pittsburgh then and now - A. G. Smith - University of Pittsburgh Press 1990

• Pittsburgh revealed: photos since 1850 - Carnegie Museum of Art 1997

• Dream Street: W. Eugene Smith Pittsburgh Project - 2001

• The Steps of Pittsburgh; a portrait of a city - Bob Regan - 2004

• Lost in Pittsburgh, a journey in Pittsburgh subculture - ZSUZSI MATOLCSY - 2011

Other great books I found are:

• Pittsburgh: a new portrait - Franklin Toker 2009

• Pittsburgh's Bridges - Walter C. Kidney - PHLF 1999

An then there is the world of books sport-related (Steelers and Penguins) with other travel guides dedicated to the city.

I also found this book of paintings by Ron Donogue: Essence of Pittsburgh. His paintings are always done en plen air, with great attention for the light and the composition. There is definitely a photographic approach to the subject, and despite it cannot be done in a "click", Ron wrote that he tries to capture the specific light of a place in a certain time/moment. 

That is the real Pittsburgh, to me, captured with a lot of details but too little people. 

In my photographic research, I also want to include the Pittsburgh Post Gazette section dedicated to the photos from the city (but not only) which can be seen here.

What I would like to see, in terms of photos, is the people, because I really think that the best of Pittsburgh is the Pittsburghers. Here you can find an example of what I mean: Vanessa German project "Love the front porch" based in the neighborhood of Homewood. This is what I want to see (and share) about Pittsburgh NOW.

Here you can find great skylines from Pittsburgh, by Matt Robinson, while here the GigaPan of Pittsburgh from the UPMC Tower. I also like Dave DiCello work, with HDR stunning photos of the 'Burgh. 

giga panorama

Dave DiCello photo

Still, I think that there is something missing. I am trying to research more about Pittsburgh in photography. All the previous examples are great but pretty specific and, to my opinion, too sectorial. Pittsburgh is wonderful because of everything-put-together. 

Considering the previous examples, I would like to see a mash-up of "people and youth, climbing the steps of the city, reaching the bridges and crossing them, with a crazy view of the rivers and of the hills, playing sport", for example. I know this sounds too much, but that is actually the Pittsburgh experience.

I would like to end this article talking about the Carnegie Museum of Art that has started to go social, let's say, with great projects that call the public to participate. I loved the "Oh Snap!" project, to celebrate some photos recently acquired by the Museum. People where invited to submit their best shots inspired by the new acquisitions. The categories were very different and there was plenty of choice to pick your favorite. 

At the Carnegie Museums they are doing great things not only for the upcoming Carnegie International 2013, but in general, to involve more people from any social background, any age, any field. It is Pittsburgh called to art, and Pittsburgh really loves art - as the Gallery Crawls in Downtown clearly show, together with the Unblurred events in Garfield/Bloomfield/Friendship. 

I will keep searching for more photos and projects. If you think I forgot something, do not hesitate in letting me know, by writing me your suggestion at beaspoli@gmail.com.

I just want to learn more and more, to share it back to all of you. 

Once upon a time, in a Playground...

 the great welcoming of the CMOA: the Lizziwurm!

more info on the official website http://ci13.cmoa.org/playground

Oh wait, once upon a time there were no playgrounds at all. So, where was the first? Who were the first kids to actually use one?

The Playground Project now displayed at the Carnegie Museum of Art (in the Heinz Architectural Galleries) is a powerful exhibition that can be very interesting and fun for kids, but also very educational for adults (parents, architects, urban planners). Even if the theme could seem, at first, just playful and light, the exhibit immediately presents it in other terms, much more serious. It is a matter of morality and education, indeed.

The "playground" was born in the early 20th century, to keep youth out of the streets. It was at that time that the cities moral agendas started thinking also about public health in terms of recreation. The first public parks were invented and a more healthy urban planning was clearly necessary, also in terms of psychologic health. This was something to add to the basic public health and hygiene systems: clean water, drainage systems and so on. People need also places to relax, to walk, to unwind. The concept of public space was getting wider, and for the first time including also the younger residents of the cities.

The first playgrounds, thus, contained gymnastic structures, pools and sandboxes. The '30s, '40s and '70s saw great examples of playgrounds that made a mark in the history of playgrounds and, it has to be said, in the history of architecture. I think that it is pretty difficult to invent new typologies of spaces; residential buildings, institutions, hospitals, working spaces were developed a long time ago, and in the last decades we added things to structures that were already well established, in their main purposes. The invention of playground was definitely something new, from the very conception of the space (fulfilling new public needs). 

The exhibit divides the playgrounds in four main types:

• adventure playgrounds
• landscape playgrounds
• play scultptures
• DIY playgrounds

I don't want to enter too much in the details, leaving you the pleasure to go there and discover in person the wonderful examples presented there. I will just tell you my favorite authors and the projects that impressed me more.

I loved the approach of Joseph Brown, that created structures "shaped by" main needs and desires of kids: running, sliding, jumping. The base of his project was << reasonable unpredictability >>. He was a professional pugilist, but left the box for working with kids. Some of his projects remembered me the ring of that sport.

Being passionate of Japan, I cannot praise the contribution of Mitsuru Senda and the structures based on the traditional japanese house. Porous spaces were the feature of those playgrounds, with a strong relation with nature. Similar approach was presented in the landscape playgrounds by Isamu Noguchi, that doesn't need to be presented. His playgrounds were, on the contrary, emerging from the earth to make it "home". The Japanese approach to space (to live or play) is incredibly natural and magic. 

Hon - En katedral is a quite funny project by Niki De Saint Phalle. It is a big pregnant goddess, a sort of cathedral, in which you can enter from her vagina. Inside the goddess, other spaces were designed, such a cafe and a little auditorium. A very interesting playground, for sure!

For the adventure playgrounds, it was interesting to learn more about Carl Theodor Sørensen. He created playgrounds with also some junk from construction sites. Kids could play and build thing on their own.

Last but not least, I think that the exhibition deserves to be seen also because of a book about the DIY playgrounds. It is called "Playground for free" by Paul Hogan. It's a great book with ideas, projects and schemes by Paul Hogan; it is for communities that want to have their playgrounds - out of the typical process that involves institutions (that usually provides very boring playgrounds, highly standardized). Paul wrote about the difficulties that he encountered and gave great advice also in dealing with rules and laws. The book was first published in 1976, by the MIT Press Cambridge, MA and London, UK. It contains great photos (black and white) and very helpful diagrams that could be of inspiration even today.

The Playground Project is fantastic, a true gift to the city of Pittsburgh. I really encourage everyone to go there and learn more. You can definitely be inspired also for your own private spaces, your gardens, your neighborhood.
Pittsburgh is getting more and more full of creativity and enthusiasm, with people trying to improve the city according to their resources. Playgrounds like those presented at the Carnegie Museum of Art will bring for sure new good ideas, learning from these great examples.

Plus... the Carnegie is always a great place to be.

Details of the great past of Pittsburgh, 

that should make everyone proud of be a Pittsburgher.

It is a city about innovation, and innovation always comes from the people.

The sound of Distributor

This is just an experimental video.

There is no particular story to follow.

It is all about the music and the images.

The Creative Environment - Community Creative School

On July 19th I went again (see also this post) to the Bruno Works to attend another "creative lunch" held by the Community Creative School.

The lecture was about "How to create a Creative Environment" and the presenter was Dutch MacDonald, from MAYA design. 

It was a great lesson on how to empower a space, and Dutch presented the Kiva® MAYA design invented, to let the ideas flowing in a more efficient way. I have rarely seen something that well thought and designed.

Dutch first introduced MAYA design and their approach to the creative process. Their mission is <<taming complexity, with interdisciplinary design and an architectural approach>>.

Given the complexity of the world around us, also in terms of data collection and amount of information available, MAYA tries to develop projects able to provide solutions that connect people, places and technologies.

They also aim to create the best possible environment for people, putting them in the right conditions to work, share and develop their own ideas.

MAYA design particularly cares of transmitting a culture of creativity, culture that is compatible with the most advanced technologies on the market. 

The continuous development of technologies, with the consequent tendency in having more and more staff mono-specialized on single aspect, reveals that we have to improve a cross-disciplines approach. Thus, people need to be put in condition to share their knowledge and ideas, to confront them and to come up with new ones. 

Dutch pointed out that it is difficult to change people's mind/brain, in order to have them becoming more "efficiently creative". Yet, it is possible to work on the environment around them, in order to improve it and shape the space to be more creativity friendly. He quoted the Herb's Simon's Scissors, which is a strong concept to talk about the decision making process.

Kiva®, MAYA's meeting room, is the perfect example of this attempt to transmit culture and improve creativity and the sharing of ideas (also with the clients). 

This incredible space was born from the need to connect:

• people and teams (with different skills and different ideas)
• culture (how to stimulate minds and improve interaction?)
• physical space (able to transmit and share this culture)

Dutch described it a <<machine for innovation>>. The main concept comes from the ancient underground Native American "community" rooms. In MAYA's Kiva® there are no tables, but just a circular space defined by 360° of white boards. On this boards, ideas are drawn or attached with post-its. This approach has a great impact on the traditional group dynamics of problem solving, improving it. Plus, there is a strong relation between the idea and the position in the space of Kiva®.

Drawing is a common language that is understood by everyone, in form of diagrams, images, sketches and so on. A circular space like this, allows also more groups to work at the same time on different projects, casually sharing information and solution to common projects, even if from different projects.

It is a highly stimulating space, both for principal, staff and clients. 

The rest of the MAYA building is very interesting as well, with spaces designed to provide either public or private and semi-private areas. Social spaces, like the cafe, are very important to reduce the stress level and improve creativity. You will also need spaces to physically "make" your ideas, bringing them from the paper to reality, even if just as models.

Dutch gave suggestions about how to create your own stimulating space - the creative environment - by presenting some examples of temporary workshops MAYA organized for universities or other institutions.

I am personally convinced that being creative, nowadays, is getting more and more vital, if we consider the energy issues, the global diminishing of raw materials and the universal increment of prices. 

"Being creative" is no more just for designers or architects: it is for everyone. Creativity can definitely improve everyone's life, and a creative environments can only positively impact on our lives.

Modern Antiques

Seen at the Mattress Factory museum of art.

Pittsburgh.

The Beauty and the B-East

This post has been thought for a while, but couldn't easily make up my mind on all my ideas. It was supposed to be only on East Liberty Pittsburgh, and about "complexity". Finally, I solved this "complicate" knot of thoughts I had in my mind, and in my camera. 

I have always been fascinated by complexity (see also the post on Downtown PGH). To me, complexity has a neutral value: it is nor positive or negative. Without entering the etymology/semiotic of the term (which I love to do), I will just point out a quick distinction between complex and complicate:

• Something is complex when it is really difficult to understand and challenging to forecast in the outcomes. Life is complex, love is complex, and so on. Something is complex because it is a system of variables.

• Something is complicated when it is tricky, but solvable. Usually, complicated issues are anyway following rules, or you can guess the solution by applying a theory, which can be difficult. Something is complicated by external factors, that you can somehow track.

Pittsburgh is complex, in my opinion, because it is a system of complicated neighborhoods. Each neighborhood has its own rules, laws and "tricks" that make possible to live in. Some neighborhoods are more successful than others, but people are living everywhere anyway in Pittsburgh, and are very attached to their neighborhoods.

This week I went to East Liberty, seeking for something complicate -which I found. The point that blocked my posting was that I was focusing too much only on East Liberty (that could be enough effort, for sure) without keeping the whole city in mind. I was looking too close.

map from http://www.pittsburghcityliving.com/

I took some photos there, but couldn't get yet the rules of such a complicate place. I still need to understand the rules there, and find a way to understand its role in relation to Pittsburgh.
Nevertheless, I had the impression that East Liberty is really in a transition; some neighborhoods are "positively complicated", with variety of functions, and perceived as more desirable than others. Others, are still "negatively complicated", with still too many rules determined by hate, fear, desperation.

For what I can see, even some "negatively complicated" neighborhoods, in Pittsburgh, have been recently increased the number of facilitators.
Facilitators are helping the neighborhoods in shifting from being "negatively complicated" to be "positively complicated" (because variety and diversity are always at the base of any healthy economy and masterplan). They are people that decide to invest on areas that are not quite ready but that desperately need someone doing the first step there. People that go to live in buildings that they will fix little by little, according to money and time, making them unique and characteristic. People that, just by putting out a bench, or some tables, create a little spot to rest and have a chat even in a not welcoming place.

I keep seeing more facilitators in East Liberty, even if this positive increment is daily challenged by very delicate economical (and political) factors. I would like to capture that positive behavior that could save East Liberty, as saved other areas in Pittsburgh during the past decades.

I couldn't take all the photos I wanted, but enough to start setting down, if not the rules of the game, at least the table. I will keep exploring this area. It has a special character and beauty that deserve to be preserved, despite the "beasts" that could make this path more difficult.

When I see projects like the East Liberty pedestrian bridge, I do believe there is a possibility also for the other parts of East Liberty, even those further from Shadyside (which are the most complex).

First attempt, then.

Come to the Point (Park, but not only)

To properly celebrate the Independence Day, I went to the Allegheny River to see the Regatta.

I took the chance to take some photos there and was very pleased by having a stroll along the riverfront. And this, despite the massive presence of patient ducks, waiting for the Pittsburghers to finish their celebrations. Very thoughtful of them.

I would like to present you some shots from my walk and bike ride along the Allegheny River, north shore, from the PNC Park going west. Up to the Marina, and over.

Highly recommended trip: by yourselves or with your friends.