Remnants

Out in the San Francisco Bay sits Angel Island. Originally home to a tribe of Native Americans, Angel Island became a military fort in the nineteenth century, launching an immigration station in the early 1900’s which processed more than one million Asian immigrants over a thirty year period before closing down in 1940. Angel Island, now a California Historical Landmark and Park, may no longer function as a military fort, but many buildings from its military past still remain, sitting empty and abandoned.

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Across the Bay, about seven miles east of Angel Island, is Albany Bulb, a former landfill now serving as a public park. Here, one comes across construction debris and large concrete slabs leftover from the 80’s, when the Bulb became an outdoor recreation site. Not just a park where many come to enjoy the view, Most visitors come to walk their dogs and enjoy the views of the Bay, but many also visit to create urban art. Dotted around the Bulb are ten foot high sculptures made of wood and scrap metal. Bicycle parts, children’s toys, and miscellaneous household items have been repurposed and made into odd and intriguing art forms. 

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Taken with a Holga camera, Remnants is a book of photographs that depict the strange, yet intriguing, landscapes of Angel Island and the Albany Bulb. The Holga camera emphasizes the quirky and eccentric nature of the Bulb, while also giving the images of Angel Island a haunting quality. Remnants serves as a visual document that offers the audience a unique perspective of these two offbeat sites, which are both rich with remarkable history.