This is a long story, it's taken 10 months to get here...
And I've met many people, and taken many photographs along the way. After the first of the year, I started photographing abandoned homes in Minneapolis.
I think today though, I will just let this video stand on its own.
I got an email today, from Mayor Rt Rybak's wife, they watched it together last night, and I know we are on the same side.
If you would like read more about this project, I've actually written extensively about it, and you may read my blog here :
100 Abandoned Homes in Minneapolis
It has lead me on many adventures, and lead me to meet many people. A number of my friends are now homeless, and that part of the story is next.
But for today, I will just let the video speak for itself.
ps--I have given the photograph in the thumbnail of the video to : Mayor Rybak, and Reps Keith Ellison, Michele Bachmann, and Erik Paulsen.
I didn't want to leave them with a bad feeling though, besides "Abandoned Home next to Abandoned School", I also gave them this photograph at the same time :
Title : "Imagination is more important than knowledge"--Einstein
I think, that maybe our solutions may not be among what we currently know, it may be we have to use our imaginations. That Einstein, he was a pretty imaginative guy...
So there's more to this story, that I will tell you later this week.
I'm gearing up for a shoot, got to go, but I thought my dailykos friends, would like to see what I've been doing.
Many more photographs are on my website, and not all are about this subject. You'll also see windfarms, and MoveOn activities, Nature, Abstracts, Ideas and much more...
All of us on Dailykos are not satisfied with how things are....
and me, I haven't given up on using art and words to change things.
Craig Stellmacher
www.craigstellmacher.com
Please spread the video, if you like it will you?
Update, for clarity, there are way more than 100 abandoned homes in Minneapolis, it's just that I've photographed slightly over 100. Worst blocks here, typically have 6-7 homes empty. I've seen some devastated neighborhoods in the poorer areas of town. But empty homes, extend way out into the suburbs and rural areas of Minnesota.
In Minneapolis, Home Sales are Up!
In Minneapolis, Foreclosures are Up!
We are just changing, who owns these homes. And people that have been in them for 30-40 years lose them, while developers pick them up for a song. It's a great time to buy a house, and apparently lose one too.
We are just taking them from their owners, and giving them at a discount to those that can still afford to buy homes as "an investment".
Where did all the people go? The photoessay turns to that next...