Dave Jordano
July 2, 2018
Detroit: Unbroken Down
Dave Jordano began his series, ‘Detroit: Unbroken Down’ in 2010, and he returned, and returned until 2015, with each year yielding a fat set of potent imagery. The overall picture he shares is one of a resilient people who take pride in their city. The tone is hopeful, without simplifying the story or shying away from the harder realities. For every image that depicts decline, there’s another image countering the scales, showing generosity, friendship, creativity, or perseverance. And sometimes, these two aspects exist in the same image.
I admire Jordano’s persistence over time in this endeavor. As a native son and a patient observer, he’s able to avoid the pull of the more common narratives about the city. It’s evident that people open up to him, sharing their trials and the sources of their pride. It’s evident that he listens. The resulting project is rich with complexity as it walks us through many of Detroit’s various communities.
The series combines sensitive individual portraits with broader views of the community. I’m especially interested in the latter imagery as a valuable record of place and time, to see the way groups of people live together and interact within their environments. I find the titles and descriptive captions he’s included to be pretty helpful for context, so I’m going to include them in this post. I strongly encourage you to check out the rest of this excellent project here.
-Lisa W.
Police Cadet Riot Control Training, Eastside, Detroit 2011
The Detroit Police Academy will often train cadets in open public spaces in order to show local residents that their tax dollars are going to good use and to promote better public relations. Until further notice from city hall, this small group of cadets is the last graduating class from the academy for the foreseeable future.
Semira Sleeping in Kat’s House, Eastside, Detroit 2012
The child of a homeless mother sleeps in Kat’s bedroom. Kat will take anyone into her home that needs food or shelter where often as many as eight people stay in her small two bedroom house. When things get to crowded, she will often move across the street temporarily into an abandoned house so that others can be provided better living conditions.
Lynn Guyton on His Front Porch, Heidelberg Street, Eastside, Detroit 2010
Lynn is the brother of Tyree Guyton, founder of the famed Heidelberg Project, Detroit’s most well-known and visited social arts project that addresses urban blight issues plaguing the city. Go here for more information. www.heidelberg.org
Children Working on Their Bicycles at Southwest Riders, Southwest Side, Detroit 2013
Kyle supervises over a group of children who perform maintenance and build bikes for themselves. He is part of the Urban Neighborhood Initiatives Program (http://unidetroit.org), an organization dedicated to building vital neighborhoods. If the children volunteer 20 hours at UNI they can receive a bike for free from Kyle.
Jeannette and Marshall (coconut), Goldengate Street Residents, Detroit 2012
Marshall (Coconut) and Jeannette are members of a group of outsiders who have taken over abandoned houses on a decimated block of Goldengate Street. Collectively the group works together to repair the houses, cook community meals, garden, and share in the domestic well being of the community. Their efforts are a positive change for one of the most decimated and blighted areas in Detroit.
David and Juwan, Palmer Park, North side, Detroit 2011
Life long friends, David and Juwan were on their way to hunt for snakes in the park.