Outdoors in Akron (2)

(Nighttime in Akron)

Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.  ~ Dorothea Lange

M and I went to Akron yesterday evening to see the exhibit Detroit Disassembled:  Photographs by Andrew Moore at the Akron Art Museum.  The photographs are amazing.  One of the descriptions of the exhibit mentions how Americans go to Europe to see ancient ruins whereas Europeans have been coming to Detroit to look at their modern-day ruins.

The photograph that amazed me the most was of a book depository for the Detroit public school system that had been abandoned.  The top floor was burned in a fire (“Birches Growing in Rotted Books”).  The books and the mess were left to rot.  No clean-up was ever done.  Over the years, birch trees started growing out of the clumps of decomposing books.  Trees growing out of what had once been trees.  Amazing.  One of the themes in the exhibit involves the way nature is reclaiming the city.  Some of the old manufacturing plant ruins have even been classified as nature preserves.  Imagine that.

For a few years M and I have been discussing going to Detroit.  We have friends who live there.  Detroit has a jazz festival that always gets rave reviews.  And we’ve never been.  Seeing Detroit Disassembled clinched it for me.  We have to go.

(Akron Art Museum)

If you’d like to learn more about Andrew Moore or see some of his photography, visit his website.

Since M and I both like to walk, we parked half way between the art museum and the place where we were having dinner (the museum and restaurant being in opposite directions).  It was a nice little walk and we once again got to explore the outdoor portions of the city (which fits in nicely with my outdoor challenge).

(Strolling in Akron)

One of the things that stood out for me last night was how many trees they have planted throughout the area we were in.  I’ve noticed them before, but they seem to demand a little more attention from me yesterday.  Perhaps it’s a result of seeing the photography exhibit and what happens when a city is left to fall apart and go back to nature.

(Akron Public Library:  Outside looking in.)

It was a lovely evening, all in all.  I always enjoy our visits to Akron.

For this morning’s adventure, I stepped outside to watch the moon set and the sun rise.  It’s a beautiful, warm morning with an almost tropical feel to it.  Breezy.  Humid.  But without the palm trees.  We don’t have palm trees in northeastern Ohio (except for the occasional fake plastic palm tree planted in someone’s front yard).

(This morning’s sunrise.)

I’ll be enjoying more of the great outdoors later.  Maybe.  We’re thinking of going to an Akron Zips soccer game this evening.  It depends on the weather.  There is a cold front expected tonight.  With the heat of the day (in the 90’s, they say, today) and the clashing air masses, that may well bring storms.  So, we’ll see.

---