MRH

i have been working on a new project with two of my colleagues on and off and shooting often solo. we are documenting the michael reese hospital on the south side of chicago, which 8 of its buildings were designed by walter gropius, founder of the bauhaus in weimar and scholar at the new bauhaus in chicago. the hospital began closing down over a year ago and only two or three of the centers are scheduled to close over the next few months. the mrh is set for demolition for the olympics in 2016, which chicago has yet to secure. if it looses the olympic bid, the area will be sold and used for new condos and the like. looters are stripping the buildings of valuable decorative elements/sculptures and security has failed to keep squatters from breaking into the facilities. 

i recently started communications with an architectural preservation organization, the gropius in chicago coalition, that is fighting to preserve the hospital. we are discussing ways to reach a greater population and inform the public the issues involved at the mrh. we are planing to host a number of informational gatherings and photographic exhibitions. please visit the gropius coalition's website, www.savemrh.com/, i believe it is worthy of your time.

here are a few images from the site.

Update on Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 12:42AM by kgm photo blog

also, i redesigned my website: kevinmalella.com for the thesis show and includes only my thesis work. i am not sure how long that will last, but i doubt i will go backwards from here; only new work perhaps. i may add some of the older work to a portfolio for this blog, but only time will tell.