I had to get out of studio for a little while.  I ended up looking for inspiration in the fall colors at Mt. Auburn Cemetery… Click here to see some of the images.

Oceans fury.

Down here  -  too close  -  I am afraid.

The swell of sound – it starts as a low rumble, then gathers strength with the approaching mass.  At once, it explodes!  A huge white wall comes crashing against the rocks.  Each new wave, a note in this rhythmic melody, inches closer – a cool watery mist lingers in the air.  The waves are coming from both sides now – each pounding harder against the edge.

I am affraid.

I retreat – higher – protected by these rocks.

We are not afraid, they say.  You are safe here, among us.

We were here long before you, and here we will remain long after you are gone.  Do not be afraid, among us, you are protected.  Sit here with us, and begin to learn our story – let us teach you about time and memory…

I went to East Point, Nahant, on a site visit this Friday with Andrew and Anne.  The weather was much different from my past visits, and  completely changed the character of the place.  Strong wind were coming in from the northeast, and the ominous cloud cover indicated the coming of a storm.  Areas that were protected from the wind had a very calm almost serene quality about them.

The mood and colors of the site can be observed in these photos:  Set 15

I just finished reading Michel Ragon’s The Space of Death (1983).  Towards the end, he talks about the four likely cemeteries of the future:  the park cemetery, the forest cemetery, the architectural cemetery, and the landscape cemetery.  I don’t think we’re completely there yet (or ever will be?), but I like the premise (and hybrid potential).

Here is a short passage (also towards the end) which I found interesting:  ”The few contemporary architects and town planners who are concerned with the space of death want to integrate this space into the environment.  This concern to adapt the funerary composition of the site is obviously new.  In the past it was the cemetery which itself created the site.”

East Point, Nahant Geology:  Set 14

Selection of “light” specific and general images from the site:  Set 13

Additional images:  see “Nahant 2″

Click here to view a panorama of the site (3 mb – may take a minute to load).

Click and move your mouse left or right to explore.  Hold down [shift] to zoom-in and [control] to zoom out.