by Dan Farnum
For many recent years the FBI has designated my hometown of Saginaw, Michigan as having the most violent crimes per capita in the country. Flint and Detroit are also frequently listed in the top ten. These photographs investigate the condition of cities and neighborhoods in Michigan after years of economic decomposition. This work documents the people who remain when others fled and the places they inhabit amidst a backdrop of mass exodus.
Primarily I focus on teenagers and young adults: The disenfranchised, the urban pioneers and the hipsters whose youthfulness contrasts the harsh condition of the places in which they are photographed. These pictures capture an approachability and vulnerability in people who are typically misunderstood. Surprising, they have an urge to interact with the camera.
This is an important and pivotal time in the state’s history due to the recent national focus on this area brought about by sky rocketing unemployment, controversial automotive bailouts, and continuing crime. My background as a former resident allows me to view Michigan with a level of intimacy and familiarity that more fully addresses the physical as well as the mental ramifications of living in such a challenging place.
