The Old Department of Health Building

Three years ago, I was taking a drawing class, and in that class I was to make a series, a theme. Me being a person who likes aliens, came up with a story: aliens abduct humans and birds, switch their brains, and that leads to our demise. For my story/theme I needed reference photos of birds and abandoned buildings. Naturally I went downtown.

The old Department of Health Building, located between 4th and 5th ave. across from Bayview.

yes, I cheated and took them in black and white

this is the reference photo I ended up using

these photos, according to my camera, were taken on May 19, 2013

Today, this place looks different.

the abandoned building is now gone

but the place still seems abandoned

I used to be obsessed with that pole, it doesn’t say “Pay Here” anymore

This is the same place I wrote my previous post, Floors, about. I mentioned how I love how empty it is, which is true. But I also loved that abandoned building.

I chose to use an abandoned building as a a visual in my series because it represents evidence of humanity without actual humans. Humans used this place, and we no longer do. One reason I am drawn to this place is because it is surrounded by humans, yet rejected by them. That building gave me comfort, but it outlived its use, survived for a bit, and was destroyed. I was not sad to see it destroyed, I was happy, I got what I needed from it, and for that I can still appreciate it as my place, but I don’t need it to be there.

here is my finished drawing

here is a drawing from the series, it’s my mom, just thought she’d appreciate it