I see this building from 1948 almost everyday, due to where I live in Manhattan. And I can’t help but think about the UN’s obvious relevancy to that time, the principles it stood for after the end of the war, and how they feel distant now despite having my personal support. The building itself, such literal a monolith of mid-century design, out there on its own on the banks of the East River, fenced off from the rest of the city, says I’m still here, but very much of a certain time.
These 35mm photos are studies for an artwork I’ll make this summer; I think the building’s simple recognizability will make the perfect subject.