|
Origins
The project began as a photographic experiment. It should be seen as an
on-going visual/historical/cultural document, with the emphasis on the
visual part. I am not a historian or social anthropologist; I'm a
photographer with a story to tell.
About three years ago I was researching possible locations to
photograph in
Hells Canyon, a
deep river gorge on the Oregon-Idaho border, when I came across a
reference to an oddly-named place called "Chinese Massacre Cove."
I'd never heard of it before, and the name certainly intrigued me. It
wasn't long before I learned that this was the site of one of the most
notorious incidents in U.S. history, part of a little-known series of
events that have collectively come to be known as the
Chinese Expulsion.
The more I looked into this topic, the more
fascinated I became. First, I was appalled that I knew
almost nothing about this extremely sad but important period
in American history. Secondly, as I read about these events I
couldn't help but notice parallels between what happened then
and what is taking place in our country right now.
Both
periods are marked by a widespread lack of understanding
of other cultures; both featured organized agitators who spewed
out bigotry and hatred; and in both greedy business owners tried
to profit by hiring immigrant workers at low wages. It is as
though we are living out George Santayana's words, "Those who
cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
I also began to think about what it means to
photograph something in which the context of the image is not
just visual but also historical and cultural. This represented an unusual challenge for me as a
photographer, since we're accustomed to looking at photographs
as visual documents that engage us because we are either able to
or encouraged to interpret what we see.
With this project many of the
photographs initially may be seen as somewhat benign landscapes,
neither particularly appealing nor worthy of study. It's
only after reading about what took place on these sites that a
viewer may begin to appreciate the images for what they
represent rather than what they "are".
The Challenges
Once I had a basic understanding of the issues, I began to
explore how I would go about
photographing some of these places. I discovered
that, unlike many historical sites, there was almost no
recognition of the specific locations where these events took
place. For most sites there are no plaques or markers, no
guidebook references – nothing at
all to indicate what happened.
They have simply been transformed by time and neglect,
easier to be forgotten than considered for what happened there.
To make these photographs I've spent hundreds of hours reading new and
old books, journals, magazines and newspapers; pouring over old records
and maps; and meeting with local historians and residents in order to
come up with as accurate information as possible about the specific
sites where these events took
place.
Each image has come as the result of solving a puzzle, usually
starting with deciphering old descriptions of locations, then
tracking changes in street and place names, and finally
trying to match the written information with
the physical location.
This has been an arduous
process, and I'm greatly indebted to
many people who have assisted me in
my research.
Without their help I would not have been able to identify many
of these locations.
The Name
I took the title What You See from the old adage
"What you see is what you get". In this case the title is both
ironic and symbolic. What you see initially in these photos is
often different from what you interpret that you see after
reading the accompanying text. You don't "get" what you see
until you see what you're getting.
I also believe the title relates to some of the
Euro-Americans of the 19th century who at best chose to see Chinese
people
as uncivilized and more often thought of them as "savages". The
oppressors were driven
by their own prejudices and ignorance, and it was easier to
blame their troubles on what they decided to see in front of
them rather
than question what they were told by the agitators and officials.
Looking Ahead
I hope this project will do two things: help bring attention to
this unfortunate time in our past when bigotry and hatred ruled
part of our society; and help us learn to think carefully about
what we think we are seeing. The power of photography to shape our
understanding of the world is limited only by our own
understanding of the forces that influence our behaviors.
Finally, I would like to emphasize that my calling attention to
these incidents in various cities is in no way a reflection on
the people or officials of those cities today. In every city
I've visited I've found diverse and robust communities that are
both regretful of this part of the past and encouraging of a
future that embraces many cultures and viewpoints.
Tim Greyhavens
|
