Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
Of all the photographs I took in 2008, there is one in particular that I still think about quite a bit. This image has haunted me, in a way. I came upon the scene, near the beach in Sheepshead Bay, in February of 2008, and photographed it as I found it. I’ve never been able to figure out exactly what was going on, but the image has been in my mind ever since.
I knew at the time that it was no accident; the sheet was tied this way for a reason. But I had no way of knowing why it was there.
I’ve returned to this small strip of beach and woods a few times since then, and I continue to discover oddities. Certain patterns, most notably knots, tend to crop up again and again. Bits of string, ribbon, and plastic are tied to the trees for over a half mile down the beach. Other strange objects: a piece of wood hanging from a rope; a garden of tiny, dead Christmas trees in the middle of the woods; a handmade wooden cross stuck into a sand dune.
I have no idea who this person is, or their motivation, but I have decided to collaborate with them anonymously. They probably won’t ever know that someone has noticed what they are doing, but to me, there is something here worth preserving.
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
These are fantastic. I can feel the brisk air on my face and smell the salty surf.
There’s something particularly arresting about the first image. I’ve had this post open in a tab for a couple of days and it catches me each time I flip by.
That sounds like a fun collaboration. I’d be really curious to find out the motivation behind the arrangements.
I guess I am on the fence about meeting the person, at least while the photo series is still in progress. In some ways I am dying to meet them and learn more about what they are doing, but on the other hand some of the mystery and fun for me is making up my own narrative as I go along. There is a lot of excitement in the search and discovery. I wonder if changing that relationship halfway through might either change the pictures or change what the person is doing, which is the last thing I want to happen.