Joel Sternfeld- Walking the High Line

Joel Sternfield's series called walking the high line, shows a paradox within New York City. The High line was created in the thirties to lift freight trains off of the crowded New York streets. Seventy years later it is all but abandoned (with hopes to make it a park in the future). As of right now, the high line is a pristine, overgrown grassland within a concrete jungle. This is the paradox that Joel works with. In a place where the only nature you find is man-made nature (central park), the high line is uncontrolled-left up to the plants, this is very evident in Joel's photographs. What is so pleasing about Sterfelds photo's is the surprise that they created for me. Not once would i have though that such a place would exist in New york city, where everything is controlled and made to specification. To this extent it sits as an oasis, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, away from humanity. Although the city is still visible from all around the highline, is searves and an area unique in a city of uniformity. this is the beauty of the pictures. Nature cannot be stopped, and decay will always happen- that is just a matter of life, and for all of humanities efforts against chaos, it still creeps in, and this is what Joel sternfeld shows with this series.