Mirrors, mirrors on the wall ... the American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore. Photograph: Philip Scalia/Alamy
Baltimore’s Beating Art
Don’t let the grittiness of The Wire put you off, the US east coast city has a thriving DIY arts scene and some great dive bars
by Becky Barnicoat, The Guardian, 9/18/2010
Baltimore comes with a question mark. As in: “I’ve just been to Baltimore.” “Baltimore?” Or, “I’m writing about the arts scene in Baltimore.” “Baltimore?”
We get questioned by locals, too; as soon as they hear our English accents they ask, almost incredulously, “What brings you to Baltimore?”
The city, situated at the inner tip of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland, is just 30 minutes from Washington DC by train but has yet to establish itself on the tourist trail. The city began as a colonial trading outpost, became an industrial boom town, and finally collateral damage following the demise of home-grown American industry. Now east and west Baltimore, as seen in The Wire, are virtually no-go areas for those who don’t live there, and poverty has battered the city’s confidence. But the hard times haven’t knocked the spirit out of the place. The arts scene in Baltimore is thriving: as well as a host of museums and galleries, there’s a vibrant grassroots movement.
Continue reading “Baltimore’s Beating Art” at The Guardian.
Hey, nice photo of the museum. So, like, are you planning on paying me for the use of my photo…?
Phil Scalia
Hi Phil, We took the photo down, we were just pointing to the great article – folks can look at your fantastic B-more photo by following the link or by checking out http://www.philipscalia.com.
Oh shucks go ahead, put it back up. I appreciate your words. With all the aggregators it’s tough making a living shooting travel these days.
I’m a Balto native and miss the old town sometimes. Except for the crime, which really stinks. Palpably worse than a few years ago.
Too bad they screwed up the Inner Harbor, it was better when it was a pile of rubble. Plus it siphoned traffic away from the Lexington Market which has lost a lot of its elan. Oh well, I guess I can’t expect Balto to be preserved in amber. Anyway I’ve been enjoying looking through your site.