Yesterday evening the beautiful weather finally got me and Ish out of the apartments and back onto Aurora Avenue.  We scoped out some of our old favorites, as well as discovered some new corners and alley ways.

At the Georgian Motel, we were told to come back in a few days after they get some of the repairs done.  Many of the motels there are clean and comfortable.  This afternoon I spoke with Susie, a resident of the Shoreline Inn.  “The rooms are clean, with no bugs.  Just nice furniture, and a soft mattress to sleep on.”  She went on to explain her contempt for the notorious Belle Italia and Thunderbird Inn, which had been closed earlier this year because of tax evasion.  Both of those properties brought bad press to the Aurora neighborhood in recent years.  Now many owners are wary of photographers coming to showcase the shameful, dirty aspects of their community.

I think I went into this project looking for that gore factor, too.  In a way, it is still there.  There is no way to sugar coat a body wasting to drug addiction.  I want to continue this project with the intention of finding the community, compassion, and lust for life and beauty that can most certainly be found on Aurora Avenue.  I hope to bring the photographic voice to a place that has been misrepresented.

I feel like the images I have here are of a dirty Aurora.  I look forward to seeing where I can take this project with my new dedication.  Will the images be just as dingy?