fbpx

Walking In Olde Kensington, Philadelphia (2012– 2016) 
Essay by Pete Duval 

“ … Waller’s own intelligent presence suffuses these evocative photographs. The book is a layered diary, a travelogue of his wanderings—of his daily dérives—through and around the Philadelphia neighborhood where he lived for a number of years. – Fiction writer and photographer, Pete Duval (from his essay)

Olde Kensington, north of Center City Philadelphia, was predominantly a post-industrial area when photographer John Waller moved to town. Yet ominous signs of change could be seen everywhere as the neighborhood rapidly renovated and gentrified like the rest of Philadelphia. In the style of the classic flâneur of old, Waller wandered the streets recording a city in a state of flux. Permanent Drift (Daylight Books, May 25, 2021) brings together 53 of Waller’s monochrome images taken during his regular walks around the neighborhood from 2012-2016. Pete Duval contributes an essay. 

In the book’s foreword, Waller writes: “As a lone walker, muddling my way through this unfamiliar and transitional neighborhood, I set out to document my time in Olde Kensington. The sense that some invisible force seemed to be directing these walks, influencing my movements in secret, was hard to ignore. This reticent escort seemed intent on eliciting conflicting senses of adversity, apprehension, desire, and elation.” Waller’s photography explores the fragmentation of everyday life, memory, and the relationship to place. He walked his neighborhood repeatedly, without any sense of purpose, yet always keeping his mind and eyes on alert for an interesting picture. He’s attracted to the back alleys, vacant and unused spaces – the “interstitials” — rather than the main roads populated by people, shops, and restaurants. He likened the experience of his meanderings in Olde Kensington to searching for home in a place that he found both confusing and contradictory.”  

In his essay, Pete Duval explains the photobook Permanent Drift is an allusion to the French philosopher and Marxist theorist Guy Debord’s idea of le dérive (literally “drift”), “a practice for understanding, repurposing, resisting the way built environments are intended to be lived in, passed through, felt. Like Debord’s practice, essentially a form of whimsical wandering.”  

Duval comments on the photographs: “ … everywhere, forces are afoot that seek, intentionally or not, to undermine the stark utilitarian purposes of the built environment and render it beautiful. Vines and opportunistic trees well up from weedy lots to overtake houses. Facades flake and crumble. Smoke stacks of decommissioned electrical plants rust in the distance … Everywhere we encounter the inscrutable: cryptic messages and effaced signifiers, blank billboards, illegible scrawl and faded graffiti, a shroud of snow that resolves itself into a teddy bear lashed to a metal fence post. And over everything, the omnipresent shadow stencils—even more fleeting—designs approaching the abstract, diagonals on scored concrete walls, the crisscross of scaffolding, the configurations of pigeons arrested in curved flight.”

 About the Photographer:
John Waller (b. 1976) is an American photographer currently living in Massachusetts where he was born and raised. He embarked on his career in photography in 2012 upon graduation from The University Of The Arts in Philadelphia. He has self-published several photography zines, and his work has also been published in Incandescent Magazine, Save Zine, Atwood Magazine, and exhibited in group shows at Art League Rhode Island, Project Basho, Doomed Gallery, London, Texas Photographic Society, Gravy Studio, and Darkroom Gallery; where he received an honorable mention from juror Bruce Gilden. 

About the Contributor:
Pete Duval is a fiction writer and photographer. His short story collection, Rear View (Houghton Mifflin), won the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference Bakeless Prize, the Connecticut Book Award, and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times’ Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction. A second collection, The Deposition, winner of the 2020 Juniper Prize for Fiction, will be published by The University of Massachusetts Press in the spring of 2021. As a street and landscape photographer, Pete explores urban Philadelphia, where he lives, and coastal Massachusetts, where he grew up―settings that figure significantly in his writing as well.

Daylight is a non-profit organization dedicated to publishing art and photography books. By exploring the documentary mode along with the more conceptual concerns of fine art, Daylight’s uniquely collectible publications work to revitalize the relationship between art, photography, and the world-at-large. For more information,

 

Book Details:                                                         

8 x 10 | 112 pp                                                                    

53 B&W photographs / Cloth over Board          

US $45.00 | CAN $58.99                                            

ISBN: 9781942084969 W

Robert Doisneau

Du 15 octobre 2023 au 28 avril 2024, le musée de la Résistance nationale à Champigny-sur-Marne rendra hommage au célèbre photographe Robert Doisneau. Fruit du partenariat entre l’Association des Amis du Musée de la Résistance à Champigny-sur-Marne (AAMRN) et l’Atelier...

Ombres Chinoises

 ébrant soixante ans d’échanges diplomatiques entre la France et la République populaire de Chine, « Ombres chinoises. Sous l’œil des diplomates », présentée au Château de Tours du 24 novembre 2023 au 26 mai 2024, met en lumière les œuvres de deux grands photographes,...

Famille au Grand Coeur

Le 17 mai 2023 à 20h au Gazette Café (6 rue Levat à Montpellier), l'association "Famille au grand cœur", fondée en 2021 par des jeunes LGBT demandeurs d'asile ou réfugiés, présentera à la presse et au grand public l'exposition "Ombres et Latitudes" composée des...

Une histoire photographique des femmes au XXe siècle

Front populaire. Défilé du syndicat C.G.T. des femmes de ménage, laveurs de carreaux, etc. Paris, 14 juillet 1936. ©Collection Roger-Viollet / Roger-ViolletLa Galerie Roger-Viollet présente du 26 janvier au 25 mars 2023 l’exposition Une Histoire Photographique des...

Julia Margaret Cameron

Julia Margaret Cameron: Pioneering 19th-Century Photographer and Visionary Artist Julia Margaret Cameron, born Julia Margaret Pattle in Calcutta, India, on June 11, 1815, is considered one of the greatest portrait photographers of the 19th century[1]. She was...

Michael Kenna. Rivesaltes

80 ans après le départ depuis Rivesaltes de 2289 hommes, femmes et enfants juifs en 9 convois vers Auschwitz-Birkenau, le Mémorial du camp de Rivesaltes a souhaité mettre en lumière la place particulière de l’ancien camp Joffre, « Drancy de la zone Sud », dans le...

Nikos Aliagas. Regards Vénitiens

Venise, Fondazione dell’Albero d’Oro 4 février – 3 avril 2023 LA FONDAZIONE DELL’ALBERO D’ORO OUVRE L'ANNÉE 2023 AVEC L'EXPOSITION PHOTOGRAPHIQUE DE NIKOS ALIAGAS PRÉCÉDÉE PAR UNE NOUVELLE RÉSIDENCE AU PALAZZO VENDRAMIN GRIMANI La Fondazione dell'Albero d'Oro...

IRVING PENN CHEFS-D’ŒUVRE DE LA COLLECTION DE LA MEP

4 mars - 28 mai 2023 Pour la première fois en France, Les Franciscaines présente l’intégralité de la collection de photographies d’Irving Penn de la Maison Européenne de la Photographie à Paris.Auteur majeur de la photographie du 20e siècle, Irving Penn a réalisé à...

Nikos Aliagas. Regards Vénitiens

Venise, Fondazione dell’Albero d’Oro 4 février – 3 avril 2023 LA FONDAZIONE DELL’ALBERO D’ORO OUVRE L'ANNÉE 2023 AVEC L'EXPOSITION PHOTOGRAPHIQUE DE NIKOS ALIAGAS PRÉCÉDÉE PAR UNE NOUVELLE RÉSIDENCE AU PALAZZO VENDRAMIN GRIMANI La Fondazione dell'Albero d'Oro...

Bruce Meritte. Enjoy your fucking life

Personnage atypique, Bruce Meritte, avant de devenir propriétaire de la « Villa Barclay », club mythique des années 90, fut une figure incontournable des nuits parisiennes grâce à ses soirées dans les clubs les plus emblématiques et les plus courus de la Capitale: le...

Dreams & Desires. Renée Jacobs

Du 9 novembre au 11 décembre, Sinner Paris accueille l’exposition “ Dreams & Desires ” de Renée Jacobs mettant en lumière une vingtaine d’images, réalisées entre 2004 et 2014 aux États Unis et en Italie, retra çant ainsi l’évolution stylistique de l’artiste...

Jean-Baptiste Huynh. EDENS

Du 8 au 14 novembre 2022, Jean-Baptiste Huynh révèle aux professionnels le projet  qu'il a entrepris en 2019, de quinze mois d’immersion totale en Afrique (Kenya et Ethiopie), à la rencontre de peuples en parfaite symbiose avec la nature.  De ces rencontres et de la...
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates fromShades Of Grey Fine Art Photography Magazine.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Pin It on Pinterest


Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438

Warning: Illegal string offset 'last_upd' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3384

Warning: Illegal string offset 'counts' in /htdocs/shadesofgreymagazine.com/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3438
Share This