Urban Landscapes Exhibit

Betts House Photography Exhibit Part of FOTOFOCUS

Cincinnati, OH – Urban Landscapes, on view at The Betts House October 13 - November 29, 2012, will feature the work of photographers Sherman Cahal, Zach Fein, Craig Moyer, and Ronny Salerno. An opening reception will be held Friday, October 12, 5-8 pm. A gallery talk with some of the artists will take place on October 27 at 2:00 p.m.

The images featured in the exhibit explore the how neglect and abandonment affect our built environment. The artists create beautiful and atmospheric images from the ruins of factories, churches, houses, and other structures. These photographs challenge the viewer to see beauty and potential in what could otherwise be seen as a bleak view of our urban landscape.

The four photographers featured in Urban Landscapes approach their subject from a variety of perspectives and experiences. Sherman Cahal specializes in abandonments, historical structures, transportation, and infrastructure throughout the United States. Cincinnati native Zach Fein, a recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati's architecture program, focuses his work on the aesthetic of buildings that have been abandoned and how they affect the function and perception of urban spaces. Craig Moyer explores the solitude of abandoned structures and the stories that remain after their builders and inhabitants have gone. Urban street photographer and Northern Kentucky University student Ronny Salerno is an avid documentarian of the Cincinnati skyline and an explorer of abandoned structures.

Urban Landscapes is the third exhibit in The Betts House’s 2012-2013 exhibit series The Art of the Built Environment, supported by a Project Support Grant from ArtsWave (www.theArtsWave.org). The exhibit is part of FOTOFOCUS, a biennial month-long regional celebration of historical and contemporary photography and lens-based art (www.FotoFocusCincinnati.org).

Urban Landscapes Postcard (courtesy of Bett's House).

ABOUT THE BETTS HOUSE

Built in 1804, Ohio’s oldest brick house is located in the Betts-Longworth Historic District near downtown Cincinnati. The Betts House is a museum of the built environment, offering exhibits and programs exploring architecture, historic preservation, building trades, construction technologies, and building materials. The Betts House is located two blocks west of Music Hall at 416 Clark Street. The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. and the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, 12:30 – 5 p.m. Other days and times are available by appointment. Admission is $2 per person. www.TheBettsHouse.org

ABOUT FOTOFOCUS

FOTOFOCUS, a nonprofit arts organization, champions the ubiquity of photography and its important role in contemporary culture. FOTOFOCUS recaptures the spirit of Cincinnati’s legacy as an epicenter of art production and creative exchange, and seeks to revitalize that spirit for the 21st century. Acting as a catalyst for institutional collaboration and community engagement, FOTOFOCUS organizes a month-long biennial celebration, also called FOTOFOCUS. Spotlighting independently programmed exhibitions of historical and contemporary photography and lens-based art, FOTOFOCUS launches October 2012. For more information visit www.FOTOFOCUScincinnati.org

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Inside Union Terminal

Union Terminal is one of Cincinnati's most iconic buildings. Aside from being one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture anywhere in the world, Union Terminal is one of only a few massive train stations to still be utilized today. Aside from housing the Cincinnati Museum Center, Omnimax Theater, and the Cincinnati History Library and Archives, Union Terminal still houses Amtrak's operations via the Cardinal Line between New York and Chicago.

Cincinnati was not alone in constructing a beautiful train station just a few years prior to the decline of rail travel; several cities across the United States built impressive train stations that have had less fortunate fates. Detroit, for instance, built a massive train station a few miles from downtown, in a similar setting to Cincinnati's Union Terminal (Local Architecture visited Michigan Central Station two years ago). Today, Detroit's train station sits empty, having never been fully completed nor occupied. Similarly, Buffalo has a large train station that sits empty, although current efforts to reuse the building are in full swing. Even New York City lost the original Penn Station as rail travel came to a near halt in the 1960's.

Fortunately, Cincinnati was able to find alternative uses for Union Terminal and save it from decay, for the most part. Although it is beautiful from the perspective of the visitor, the behind the scenes areas of Union Terminal show the need for constant maintenance and support.

1.

The front of Cincinnati Union Terminal.

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Stairwells on either side of the large half-dome lead to the access points to the area above the ceiling.

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This photograph from 1931 shows Union Terminal under construction. The large trusses that support the roof of the half dome were the first destination of the tour. By Photographer unknown.Paultyng at en.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons

4.

Union Terminal as it is seen today, from a similar angle as the construction photo above.

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A location where one of several massive trusses, encased in concrete for fire-proofing reasons, passes through a floor plate.

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Catwalks span the width of the building between two layers of glass that make up the massive front window.

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The view of the interior of Union Terminal from a catwalk between the double glazed front window.

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One of the key features of Union Terminal is the massive clock that adorns the front of the building.

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Access to the clock is from the catwalks inside the front window. This photo shows the clock from behind.

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The ceiling.

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One of the catwalks within the trusswork above the ceiling.

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A view inside the roof structure.

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A view inside the roof structure, looking towards the front of the building.

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A few of the large trusses

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An access hall behind the famous murals that adorn the interior walls of the half-dome.

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A back hallway in one of the upper levels of the building.

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The rear of Union Terminal, as seen from the rail yard. One platform remains to serve passenger rail travel via the Amtrak Cardinal.

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From the roof, looking at a decaying boiler stack, out over the railyard.

19.

The former Union Terminal president's office, one of the renovated areas of the building.

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Another renovated section of Union Terminal, a board room near the president's office.

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