SEEN: Showcasing a bit of Tulsa as it looks now
BY CHRISTOPHER SMITH
Sunday, January 06, 2013
1/06/13 at 5:03 AM
Editor's note: Seen is a weekly feature showcasing the work of a Tulsa World photojournalist.
Cities exist like living things. They are constantly in change and evolving, and Tulsa is no exception.
The city is in a period of rapid change now. So the need to record the city as it looks now is essential.
Of course, we need to document those treasures like the Boston Avenue canyon of beautiful art deco buildings, but it is also important to mark the not so remarkable.
I believe strongly in photographing all of it, good and bad. The magnificent facades, as well as the nooks and crannies and alleys. As architects should have a long view of what they build and city leadership of what they choose to tear down, photographers should have a long view about what we photograph and why. They are both statements left for future generations.
I hope that by documenting Tulsa, its atmosphere, its buildings and its structure, we can learn something about the city. Over the next few months, my goal is to photograph the celebrated and the not so celebrated structures of the city and showcase a bit of Tulsa as it looks now.
Associated Images:
The view of downtown Tulsa with buildings stacked together offers a contrast between old and new, modern and traditional. CHRISTOPHER SMITH/ Tulsa World
A pedestrian crosses Boston Avenue. CHRISTOPHER SMITH/ Tulsa World
The sun sets behind Holy Family Cathedral in downtown
Tulsa. CHRISTOPHER SMITH/ Tulsa World
The former Ponca City Federal Savings and Loan building at the corner of Seventh Street and Boston Avenue is considered to be one of the most important mid-century architectural landmarks in Tulsa. Its exterior, now painted white, was clad in Virginia greenstone. The building was brought back to life recently when it housed a holiday pop-up shop. CHRISTOPHER SMITH/ Tulsa World
An alley connects Fourth and Fifth streets between Main, Boulder and Cheyenne avenues. CHRISTOPHER SMITH/ Tulsa World
|
