Our human desire to come together is expressed in the architectural typologies of Maine’s historic meeting halls. My photographs of these vernacular structures act as portraits. I aim to tell an American story of resiliency, obsolescence and adaptation by reflecting the current state of this once thriving network of translocal movements that were built and maintained collaboratively by local people for generations. As memberships in volunteer societies die out, halls across Maine and through out the country, are at risk for being razed or lost for civic use. These community created forums are vital for invigorating American democracy by providing third sector spaces for bringing people together to achieve shared interests. These include attaining legislative goals, forming cooperatives, and hosting public suppers and dances.
The disappearance of meeting halls and the erasure of the social good that they bring poses the question: What is the fate of our collective future and democratic systems? As many town squares have moved to virtual locations my photographs aim to highlight this older model for social interaction. This resonates in this moment with a particular force as we look for safe, nonpartisan and secular environments to engender solidarity among citizens.
This is a multi-year project that began in late 2018 and is ongoing.
