The Other Upstate

The last thing I need is another Instagram account. I tend to forget that there might be a motive behind strategic social media posting – beyond being curious about imagery, what one has discovered, then documented, and the visual journaling possibilities.

I quietly started the account, The Other Upstate, as I attempt to return to a book idea related to personal memories, spaces, and terrain. ‘The other upstate’ references my childhood on a farm in New York State’s Hudson Valley and my interactions with rural plots, the land, as well as sites that I felt deserved attention or care.

I was very adventurous as a young girl, often riding my bike far, far away from our home, only to pull over to the side of the road to explore abandoned barns and neglected houses, or pockets of raw nature that I felt no one else might be able to access. I kept this information tucked away, with the idea that I might return one day to tell more of the story.

When I return to these places now, or travel farther upstate where my parents have relocated, I find myself reflecting on these past experiences and feeling an ongoing concern, especially as so many communities and town centers are economically struggling and seem to lack vitality. It is crushing to witness, but with childlike innocence, I always look for threads and new shoots that suggest life is still there—beyond the boom of real estate finds or the fascination with the next best weekend locale.

This new account—a visual and writing testing ground—is essentially about vulnerability and an awareness of ‘the other,’ as I piece together what I hope to document and share…perhaps in book form, a memoir, a community project, or a renovation undertaking…all still to be determined.

[ all images: Abigail Doan studio ]