Walls of Stone, Walls of Color -- 2010

They are painting Fort Christiansvaern. No, not red; that was me that did that. But yellow, that wonderful golden yellow that one sees on so many of the historic buildings in old Christiansted. The paint and repairs are important to protect the structure, and historical correctness is being observed. Still, the crumbling walls and peeling paint give the fort some of its character.

The fort is unendingly photogenic as its shapes, angles and colors shift perceptibly as the sun moves across the sky — as if it were a giant work of art set beside the sea. Despite the shape-shifting beauty of the building, I have darker feelings about its original purpose and things that happened there so many years ago.

These images are two interpretations of the same original photograph. Perhaps they reflect some of my ambivalence.

Primarily Yellow -- 2010