Another ‘through the hole’ shot from the building that now only has the facade left. This particular photo cannot possibly be repeated. That’s one of the reasons why I love this project.
Project Amagerbrogade 132, 11-2013
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Monthly Archives: June 2013
Project Amagerbrogade 132, 10-2013
I think I have enough of these looking-through-a-hole shots to make a small series. Personally I’m intrigued. I’ll be sharing a few more with you.
Project Amagerbrogade 132, 9-2013
I browsed the internet today looking for information about the history of Amagerbrogade 132. That was surprisingly easy to find though it’s all in Danish 🙂
My first source was the register of buildings (something to that extend anyway). There it is listed that the building is from 1908 and that the second of the two floors was an apartment. BUT – note this! It is listed that there was no toilet in the building, only in the backyard was there a water closet. There was also no bathroom nor access to any. Surprised no one lived there anymore? Even if the roof hadn’t been leaking?
It was quite common though. This was more than 100 years ago you have to remember. My dear friend Anne, who’s closing in on 60 years, grew up in an apartment without a bathroom on Vesterbro. She went to the bath house when the family needed a good wash.
I also recall a friend who lived in an old apartment on Østerbro, also part of central Copenhagen. He had a toilet halfway down the back stairs that he shared with the neighbour and a shower booth in his bedroom. This city is more than 1,000 years old! Certainly not all was built with all modern amenities…
Project Amagerbrogade 132, 8-2013
The few items left behind in a building empty even of walls become all the more visible and powerful if they have colour.
Project Amagerbrogade 132, 7-2013
The guy I talked to about the building yesterday said his children had called it the haunted house. Believe me, it was not haunted. There was presense but not of people without bodies. There was peace and serenity if you knew to look beyond the apparent. I hope I captured this mood in my photos.
Project Amagerbrogade 132, 6-2013
I was doing my weekly photo shoot at the building site today. A guy was curious about what I was doing and told me how he used to work in the store across the street and knew the man who had the watch shop.
Amager, the island I live on, is a funny place. We’re 1-3 miles form the very center of Copenhagen, 180,000 people live here and still it often feels like village. The saying is that if you grow up, you never leave. And should you happen to move away, you’ll return. Iøve only lived here 15 years but my kids can be local 🙂
Project Amagerbrogade 132, 5-2013
See how the plaster pieces are sort floating in mid-air, held by the wire? I think it’s so cool 🙂
It has become quite clear to me that I like to photograph details. This shows me two things. 1) Because I like details best I need to make sure I photograph in other ways frequently to not get stuck and to improve my skills. 2) Being highly sensitive (HSP), looking at details helps me keep my perspective on things and not get overwelmed.
Project Amagerbrogade 132, 4-2013
It’s hard for me to describe just what I felt spending time in the derelict building, days before the walls came down. It was almost like entering another world – not quite permissable but also not trespassing.
Project Amagerbrogade 132, 3-2013
When I first visited the building it looked at first sight as if there was already nothing left. But as I walked around and l focused on just being present, the place began to speak to me. In the end I spent over two hours photographing the ‘nothing left’.
Project Amagerbrogade 132, 2-2013
The two story building on Amagerbrogade 132 has intrigued me for years. More than eight years ago I tried to contact the owner at the time to see if I could buy it for the café I wanted to establish. No luck – though probably ‘luck’ is not the right word considering the state it was in already then.
I resently read in the local newspaper that an entrepeneur had managed to both buy the building and convince a chain of steak houses to establish themselves in Copenhagen at this particular spot. Driving by the small-town-USA-looking building one day, as I often do, I suddenly thought, “! wish I could photograph the renovation!” I got in touch with Jan Elving of Øens Murerfirma and got the go ahead. As far as I know, no one else is recording the transformation of this local ‘landmark’.
The images I’m about to share are all from my first visits inside. Already now there is only a shell left and what you see over the next couple of weeks is gone.
Karins Fotos 