Lisa emailed me a link last week while I was traveling to America's Dairyland, and it made me miss home so much that I felt a tug in my chest. Subway, lifeblood. features photos taken in and around the NY subway system in the 1980s. I frequently daydream about what NYC must have been like in the 80s, mostly because it sounds like it was a completely different, dark, scary, underground world. Also because of my now four-year fascination with Basquiat. I can't believe I didn't blog about watching Downtown 81 after I saw it, because it blew my mind and sent me on a daydreaming spiral for another few months. It's a movie about underground art and music in 1980s NY in the 80s, and stars Jean-Michel himself (I should watch it again and do the whole screenshot/blog post thing). ANYWAY. Here are some of the shots that made me swoon the most:
Bruce Davidson
Bruce Davidson
John F. Conn
Jamel Shabazz
Here is the closing scene from Downtown 81; I regularly drift off thinking about this. Driving up what seems like the FDR as the sun is considering coming out, the fuzzy notes from Suicide's Cheree perfectly matching the light, mood, everything. I have felt similarly in the past when walking to breakfast with my dear friend Zachary* at 7am after a night of dancing, watching the East Village slowly wake up and open its doors.
Again, here is the link to Subway, lifeblood. on 24 Flinching; check out the rest of the pictures. Heartbreaking.
