The spring-like weather this weekend will be perfect for a Gowanus scavenger hunt! The husband-and-wife filmmaking team behind the documentary Gowanus Current have taken ten stills out of their hundreds of hours of footage and posted them at the original locations throughout the neighborhood where they were shot.
Jamie Courville and Chris Reynolds began filming Gowanus Current in 2013, documenting the rapid transformation of the former industrial district, from the demolition of old factory buildings to the construction of new luxury residences, a Whole Foods, and numerous hotels, bars, and restaurants. At the center of the neighborhood is the Gowanus Canal, a 1.8-mile-long toxic body of water designated a Superfund Site by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2010. With the agency’s cleanup of the polluted waterway finally beginning along with the impending rezoning of Gowanus—which will bring with it thousands of new residents, more commercial space and taller buildings—this once gritty neighborhood will soon become a very different place.
The Brooklyn-based couple were living in Gowanus when they started the film and witnessed firsthand the gentrification of the neighborhood, seeing longtime businesses close and residents move out, they told Brownstoner in 2014. They’ve attended countless city meetings in the neighborhood and documented various local events, like the environmental activist swimming the fetid canal in 2015. They also interviewed community members and even set up a phone line for neighbors to call and leave their personal stories about Gowanus.
When completed Gowanus Current will show “the neighborhood becoming an entertainment destination, losing artists and small manufacturers, and entering an era of increasing community awareness,” the filmmakers state on their website. “Neighborhood icons like the beloved Kentile sign are dismantled, while new landmarks like the 700-unit 365 Bond apartments gradually rise up. In the wake of the transformative rezoning plan, local groups struggle to have their needs addressed. This film will continue to explore the changes to the community as these mounting conflicts finally reach their resolution with the city’s decision on rezoning in the coming months.”
Their outdoor photo exhibit, Gowanus Reflection, will be on display from October 29 through November 11. The framed 8 x 11-inch prints, mounted onto sign posts and fences, offer a sneak peek of the in-progress film. “In some cases, they reflect a dramatic remaking of the landscape. In others, the changes are more subtle,” the filmmakers wrote in a Facebook post. The couple welcomes feedback on the photos on their website where you can also find a map of the photo locations. Visit gowanuscurrent.com to learn more.
Gowanus Reflection
Various locations across Gowanus, Brooklyn
On view through November 11, 2020
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