35% Incline, Baldwin St, New Zealand, 2016

35% Incline, Baldwin St, New Zealand, 2016

High Level, Hamilton, 2015

High Level, Hamilton2015

Supply Curve, Hamilton, 2011

Supply Curve, Hamilton2011

Centre 3 Gallery, Hamilton, Ontario

My contribution to this collection of work is about challenging perspectives.  Viewing the familiar through fresh eyes.  And seeing possibilities in the space this creates.  Two of my images playfully exploit topography to challenge our perspectives of familiar and even iconic Hamilton landmarks.  These are complemented by the modern art hidden in plain view on an otherwise non-descript suburban street in New Zealand.

 At first the image of Baldwin Street’s extreme incline (35%) is jarring and the viewpoint makes the world’s steeped road difficult to comprehend.  On second glance the playfulness of the contrasting roofline reflects back the angle of the road and challenges our perspective of what is normal. 

 The High Level bridge offers what has been described as the greatest 360 degree view of Hamilton for those who slow down to turn their heads towards the bay or Cootes Paradise.  But we need to get out of our cars completely to appreciate that the bridge truly is high level and to gaze down at the layers of alternative traffic below where people are interacting with the water’s edge.

In contrast, Supply Curve is taken from the water level itself, below the elevated Skyway from which generations of highway travelers have formed less-than-flattering views of a city they never stopped in for a second opinion.  From this perspective, we can see Hamilton’s industrial infrastructure as not just strong but beautiful.  Even the sinuous curve of the roads built to support this legacy lead our view straight across the water as Hamilton’s future is being charted with optimism.

It is a helpful reminder that looking forward often requires us to look up, down, and challenge our perspective of the places around us that we encounter every day.