A Post Helene Walk through Asheville’s River Arts District
It was difficult to face walking along the river after the storm. My eyes were bombarded with images of despair and ruin, yet also the landscape called to me because it was so strangely changed. The River Arts studios and all the places I loved had been transformed overnight into a Salvador Dali’ painting, objects turned upside down, buried in the ground and then pulled up again.
I got totally absorbed in discovering objects to photograph, caught between inspiration and heartbreak. I wanted to go back to shoot more afterwards, and planned to, but couldn’t bring myself. The smell of the mud and of rotting wood lingered in my mind afterwards for days.
Though these images are disturbing, I hold on to hope that the artists who thrived here will rebuild. These photos capture a moment in time before that rebuilding. This is what the river left behind.
Kristin D'Agostino 