Artist Talk: Tae Hwang ft. Shae McCoy
06/20
Artist Talk: Buildings, Objects, & Systems with Tae Hwang ft. Shae McCoy
On Thursday, June 20, from 6:00–8:00 p.m., Tae Hwang will be in conversation with photographer and author of “West Baltimore Ruins,” Shae McCoy, at Top of the World. This event will be free and open to the public. “Buildings, Objects, and Systems” will remain on view through Sunday, June 23, 2024.
Tae Hwang“Buildings, Objects, and Systems”
Tae Hwang’s exhibition, “Buildings, Objects, and Systems.” Born in Korea and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Tae now calls Baltimore home. Her new body of work captures her views on American life, corner store iconography, and the architecture that surrounds and constructs communities.
Shae MCoy “West Baltimore Ruins”
As described by the artist, West Baltimore Ruins is “a visual story told by West Baltimore’s daughter.” McCoy created the series between 2018 and 2020 as a means of documenting the architectural landscape of the neighborhood in which she was raised, where an estimated one third of buildings are now abandoned. In addition to her digital camera, McCoy also used a cell phone camera to record her impressions, noting that its mobility and discretion enables photographs to be made easily while on the move. The resulting images take the viewer on a walk through the neighborhoods of West Baltimore as viewed through McCoy’s observant eyes, capturing the vibrant colors of empty row house facades, the charm of the area’s neglected historical architecture, unruly vegetation reclaiming empty houses, and signs of encroaching gentrification.
