Matthew Hester connects us to what was left behind . . .

"I am often asked why I shoot so many pictures of abandoned structures. Some call them morbid, same say the pictures I take are in a way dealing with my own abandonment issues. To those I say that it is neither.

I find out our past history is a doorway to a forgotten world. Far to often we always look ahead, and tend to leave are past behind as if it had no significance at all. That is why I shoot places like Remington Arms, once a beacon of the community that supported families for generations.

Remington Arms is a company that helped build Connecticut to new heights. Along with Colt, Smith & Wesson, and Winchester, they were the main suppliers of guns and ammunition through out most of the countries major wars.

In 1986 Remington Arms closed its doors forever in Bridgeport, one of the many gaping holes that would go on to plague this once great city. Like many abandoned structures, it then fell prey to homeless occupants, vandals, and drug addicts. Add on the the abuse it has endured over a century of many cold harsh winters brought on by New England weather and without any upkeep, we have a shell of a once great establishment.

While shooting Remington I could feel a sense of history just walking around the place. Seeing the furniture and old offices made me think of the thousands of people who worked at this place. It was like stepping into the past and catching a glimpse of what was.

I hope you enjoy my virtual tour of this once proud facility, and my hopes are that these images will make you think about our past accomplishments. If anything we can learn from are success and failures in life."

- - Matthew Hester

Abandonment: walking away, leaving something or someone behind, sometimes looking back, sometimes not. However, Matt Hester forces a connection to what was left behind whether it is wanted or not; to look back, to learn, to know what created the future for us. The connection, the string that tethers us to our past cannot be severed because emotionally there is always a tugging of, "if only". Intellectually, it is known to walk away is a much needed change to go forward to the future. Both truly, are needed to be able to live in the future.

Remington Arms was a thriving manufacturing business that had paved the future for many, many people walking through their doors; doors of opportunity. Over a century of lives!

Looking at "Remington disArmed" you can hear the sounds of the machines, the voices yelling over the noise trying to hear each other. The workers working together, a camaraderie that produced so much more than ammunition and armaments. The thread, the connection each had thrives and lives on and will never die even though the buildings are crumbling adding to the rubble of loss of jobs, loss of community, loss of spirit left behind by a great institution.

 

"Remington disArmed" by Matthew Hester

 

As years passed and the "threads" increased the need for the company to be "more cost effective to make more profits" the doors closed in Bridgeport, CT in 1986 moving to Delaware, North Carolina, Maryland area. Today, Remington is still a thriving company but in New York and other areas of the country as they had purchased other smaller companies making the same or similar products. Part of DuPont they now have the responsibility of "cleaning the land of toxins and environmental hazards" which is now stopped because of the new owners of the land "RemGrit" a real estate firm. Many different legal aspects have evolved. But as you stand looking, the connections that the area, the former employees, the community, its neighbors have to this site is remarkable. One actually grieves with the thoughts of what was. . .

Seeing "the paycheck" of just one employee from 43 years ago shows the difference in the livelihoods from then and now; it shows the hard working middle class thriving making a path for the future for their children, for us.

 

"Remington disArmed" by Matthew Hester

On the shoulders of the blue collar worker, the company thrived making millions, perhaps billions over a century's time. "The memo" is one from a supervisor requesting authorization to go forward with a new part, an added piece to the manufacturing mogul.

 

"Remington disArmed" by Matthew Hester

Earth has begun to regain its strength as the "thread of ivy" connects the brick and mortar back to its "roots" giving society the land back as it was before building the company. The connection humanity has to its source of life. The connection society has to humanity. The connection capitalism/company has to society. The connection the blue collar worker/the middle class has to capitalism/company. The connection the families of the blue collar worker/the middle class has to Earth. A cycle, an unending circle that made up of give and take creates our world. So do we truly abandon and walk away leaving behind what was? In essence it seems we do, but the "thread" never is cut, it tethers us hoping we will never forget from whence we came; for there will always be that connection to what was left behind . . .

Connect with what was left behind, and join us for an opening reception on Thursday, March 14th. Starts at 7:00 pm and is part of the Walnut Beach Art Stroll.  Matthew Hester will be exhibiting "Remington disArmed" for the month of March.