[2421, 2423, 2425, and 2427 Southern Boulevard, The Bronx, c. 1939–1941. From the NYC Municipal Archives Collections. Click either image for a much larger view.]
The post title is inspired by David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest, which makes reference to “public spectation opportunities” or “spect-ops,” opportunities for “standing live witness” to events happening in real life, not on a screen.
The only question I have about these photographs is which came first. Click for much larger views and you’ll understand what I mean. It’s a sweet little surprise.
I can imagine a dialogue:
“Excuse me mister, whaddaya doin’?”Google Maps shows these residences and the garage still standing in 2022, all now sided or partly sided. The buildings in the distance are standing too. The two men standing in the doorways must be long gone.
“Takin’ pictures for the tax records.”
“Whaddaya, gonna make me pay more taxes?”
“No ma’am, it’s just for the records. It’s a WPA project.”
Related reading
More photographs from the NYC Municipal Archives (Pinboard)
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