Romeo in Detroit
Last year I went to Detroit.
Romeo was the first person I met there. He lives in this building, an old trucking depot on Michigan Ave
which once belonged to his grandparents.
He gave me a guided tour of the building, parts of which had recently suffered fire damage, but he was
determined to stay and redevelop the property . . . .
Other photos posted earlier, in the Detroit part of blog town.
Romeo offered to take me on a guided tour of Detroit by night "your camera's not going to believe it."
Next time, I hope.
* * * * *
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Urban decay from working class evacuation, severely diminished tax based inability to deliver services compounded that the remaining “have nots” further bleed the treasury for social services.
As you have said before Carl, it’s a mess.
Patti, I don’t know how you do it. How do you meet people like Romeo and convince them to let you photograph?
It’s a long’ish story but Romeo was more than happy to show me around without my having asked. Often in these situations the camera and photographs are the last to come into play although of course the camera is the tool of introduction which leads to interesting conversations and invitations. I am hopeless when it comes to convincing anyone to do anything!
Great shots, Patti. The fire will have made it worse, of course, but i’m sorry to say this shocking scenario doesn’t surprise me. I saw it in Chicago (somewhere, don’t ask me where – like you will, I had a guide, a black guide, without whom I’d never have made it into those places, let alone out – the anger was even more virulent than the indiscriminate hate I’d experienced in South Africa in ’72, but that’s another issue) in the mid-70s.; It’s a facet of the United States that I can never fathom.
Those days when the South Bronx was burning . . .
This has the makings of a very compelling photo essay !!!
Hmmmm . . .
The first photo especially is so good – the angle and the balance between Romeo & his surroundings. Something fundamental’s gotta change.
Perhaps we could start with changing the shuffle that is the lucrative market of storing aluminium – this from a recent NYT’s report!
I am f***ing amazed at how you gain access to places. And they let you take pictures. Wow.
Tom, I am very easily led!
You passed on the night time tour? I don’t think I could’ve said no. Detroit has some amazing “forgotten” places. Great shots.
I know, I know and boy did it hurt to say no! Next time, soon, I hope – for all the problems it really is a fascinating and friendly town. City!
great shots – the photo essay is a great idea – it begs the question ‘ how does this happen and how do we turn it around?’
Until it can be turned back into “profit” so many people will fall in the cracks between that and the “loss” column. There are so many good things happening in Detroit, the natives have the faith and are doing their best but does one Wholefoods a turnaround make?
Great shots Patti. I love decaying industrial buildings so much more than those modern temples of materialism, ugly Meccas of (over) consumption ” ‘the shopping mall.’
Gerard, don’t get me started on the shopping malls and their car parks . . . . which at the same time have so much to do with the rise and fall of Detroit, and other cities. People left the cities to live in suburbs with their cars which they need to drive to the malls while the cities they left behind decline. Then Richard Nixon goes to China where everything becomes much cheaper to produce and so the wheels go round and round . . .
Just wonderful – love this approach to portraiture, Patti.
Romeo, and so many others I was lucky enough to meet in Detroit, were generosity personified!
Incredible decay and destruction …. the smell must have been horrible.
You did get the story in your photos. Hope to see more …..
Issy, funny that you should mention the smell because it didn’t figure in the senses at all! It was all very quiet and strangely very peaceful, which are the lasting memories I have come away with.
Such powerful images Patti!
Certainly a powerful introduction to Detroit!
I read Detroit is in trouble, and it seems that goes for Romeo Too. He needs our best wishes. Strong pictures, Patti.
I really want to think Romeo turns it around, really I do . . . Thank you Bente for your best wishes.
This has stopped me in my tracks. How did you get to meet him? I’m guessing it’s a long story….
OK, trying to keep a long story short – we drove in from the airport, Mr Kuche had to take a call on his phone and we pulled up outside this building on Michigan Ave. I have heard these telephone conversations before so I decided to get out, take a walk. R’s building was nearby with a canvas tarp covering part of the front. The tarp had a tear in it, I stuck the camera lens in and started shooting. Not long after Romeo came along, telling me it was his building and that he lived here. I apologised for intruding and before I knew it he was telling me to come with him and he would show me more where that came from . . . I’m just a girl who can’t say no and so off we went. It was all a most random set of circumstances.
congrats, Patti,
for your positive resume:
“…for all the problems
it really is a fascinating
and friendly town…”
and definitely worth visiting!
Great images of industrial decay in hard economic times Patti. This is a great example of living in hope for a future that may never come. I hope that Romeo is able to realise his dream.
While there are indeed too many scenes of decline, there are still so many wonderful architectural gems hanging in there, in between the vacant lots where once upon a time stood something else . . .
Great shot of his abode, Patti. It’s actually quite rare to get a shot like this while you have proof that someone is actually living in the space.
I had no idea it was such a rare opportunity but looking back I can’t remember now what I was expecting. I just hope Romeo and his friends are all ok . . .
You know that your country is in deep shit when people actually live like that. Fantastic documentation Patti.
Thank you Cardinal!
“I’m just going to say that for as much shit as you talk about Detroit, where you live is probably just as fucked up somehow.” – from Aaron Foley who writes for Jalopnik Detroit
Cardinal, this appeared in today’s NYT’s by the wonderful Detroit writer Charlie LeDuff who doesn’t sugar coat the stats and details . . . . Come See Detroit, America’s Future
I actually read a long article in a Norwegian financial newspaper about Detroit and that it had been declared bankrupt. Many of the details in that article and the letter that you’re linking to, are mentioned both places. Both were interesting reads.
The bankruptcy issue has been on the table for so long it was only a matter of time before it became official. On a different note altogether I see that Detroit’s empty city spaces make ideal film sets and are now doing double for Hong Kong streets in the shooting of Transformers 4. Maybe the revenue will help keep a few more streetlights on . . ..
interesting documentary 🙂
It’s an interesting city that’s for sure!
Fascinating, Patti. I love that his name is Romeo.
Romeo was indeed fascinating, thank you Karen!
Unbelievable! Where do you meet all these people, Patti? 🙂 I agree with the Cardinal, wonderful documentation!
Thank you so much Paula! I am going to put it down to time, place and all the friendly people out there!
🙂 they would not be friendly if you were a different type of person 🙂
I don’t know whether I would have had the guts to follow Romeo into that building! But then that is the reason I don’t have such fascinating stories to tell 🙂 Rooting for Romeo Patti. Hope he doesn’t end up another statistic.
Madhu, you have so many interesting stories!! There was no way I could turn down R’s very kind and generous invitation, the surroundings faded away and became all about R, his family and friends, what was and what is now . . . As for the future, I share your hope!
Great series of photo’s – I really hope Detroit as a city and the people of Detroit have better times coming to them. Thanks for sharing these great photos.
Thank you Mark for your kind words and thoughts and I share your hopes!! Have you been to Detroit? I can’t recommend it highly enough as a place to visit and explore, plus it’s a city that could do with people spending time and money there. The crumbling infrastructure is a shock at first but it doesn’t take long before the goodwill, energy and tenacity of the city become obvious.
I have been but about 15 years ago and I did not get a chance to really see the city. It’s a city with such a great history and vibrant people, I’m sure they will prevail. Thanks again for sharing your photos.
“Your camera is not going to believe it.” Your camera is your paint brush … you’re an artist!
Lost for words!!!
But you truly are … now when are you going to do that coffee table book?!!!!!!
Now I am crying . . . . if you could see my messy coffee table, which sadly is a reflection of me – my filofax (yes, I still use one), my transistor radio, tv remote, Lumix point and shoot,empty bowl which was not so long ago full of potato crisps, another tv remote, “A Perfect Spy” by John Le Carre (have you read this? Thoroughly recommend it!), external hard-drive, pencil, glass of beer, bottle of beer – Lagunitas IPA, hair clips, my feet, and the DSLR. And what am I watching on TV? TMZ!!!
Where’s an editor when you need one!
My desk is a big mess, but there’s a small portion to the left that’s “clean.” Yes I’ve read Le Carre, but not “The Perfect Spy” trying to get through “My Kind of Traitor” now … I have probiotics right beside my keyboard and other what nots… 🙂
I want to ask you how you get these people to talk to you, to trust you. Maybe it’s not a conscious thing, maybe you just have a sympathetic demeanor. I have been thinking about a story I would like to write about some people who live near me, who have set up tents in a hidden place on the bay, but I am afraid/worried about how to approach. I want to get closer to them, I am so curious, but I feel hampered by my ideas of maintaining a respectful distance.
I take it their tents, although hidden, are in a public space which therefore means you are not invading their space? I should go cautiously, perhaps build up a passing familiarity but it is strange the amazing places simple conversation starters can take us. Trust yourself and your motives – as much as most people love to talk, we all of us want to be understood. All best wishes, take care and we look forward to reading the results! (if not on your blog then perhaps elsewhere!)