The magazine of the photo-essay
October 2017 issue
“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!”
Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film maker
by Lisa Kereszi
This is an ongoing investigation of the fantastical places people go to for
recreation. I look at these places when they are empty, often during the day
(if they are nocturnal venues, especially), or even abandoned to heighten
the attention the viewer must pay to the fakery of the built environment. I
look for beautifully poignant failures of interior design - things that are not
usually so noticeable under beer sign neon or a strobe light. These are
reminders of reality in an increasingly unreal world. Locations include bars,
strip clubs, amusement parks, spookhouses, LasVegas, Times Square,
Florida - the Sunshine State, and the Jersey Shore, among others.
I’m interested in these buildings and locations that house all our desires
and fantasies, and how the fantasy really comes to fail when they are
looked closely at in the light of day. These temporary structures that are
built to contain and encourage a certain activity are often, themselves, thinly-veiled and badly-painted vehicles to suggest
a world, and let the mind (and better lighting) take on the rest of the job. Someone outside of the photography world
made a comment, upon seeing the work, “There is nothing as depressing as trying to have fun.” I always liked that one
way of looking at it, and felt like that made a lot of sense to me.
Fun n' Games, Seaside Heights, NJ 2005.
Urns outside Haunted Mansion, Seaside Heights, NJ 2006.
Theatre floor, York Square Cinema, New Haven, Conn. 1999.
Shovel in can, Broadway Arcade, Times Square, 2004.
Wonder Wheel at night, Coney Island, 2004.
Las Vegas at Night II, 2002.
Wall lights, CN Skate palace, Penna. 2002.
Misty night view of Astroland, Coney Island, 2003.
Fourth of July at the racetrack, Salisbury, Conn. 1999.
Ball toss, Coney Island, NY, 2001.
Valley Bowl, Ansonia, CT, 1999.
Pole and darts at swinger's club, Daytona Beach 2005.
Door 22 in peep show, California 2005.
Eye on door at Spook-A-Rama, Coney Island, NY, 2004.
Mural in corner, Muff Divers club, Philippines, 2005.
Neon strips on dark ride, Orlando, 2001.
Exit sign with strings, Spook-A-Rama, Coney Island, 2004.
Thrilling, neon sign, Ghost Blasters ride, Niagara Falls, Canada, 2005.
