MA, University of Cincinnati, 2013, Arts and Sciences: Communication

Ruin photography, widely called "ruin porn" by critics, is an artistic trend that has entered the conscience of artists and consumers alike. Andrew Moore's Detroit Disassembled is one such exhibit that has received criticism despite its wide appeal to consumers. This essay attempts to explore the complex relationship between photograph and subject in the case of urban architectural artifacts. I will explore the intersection of documentary and art photography at which Moore's photographs are located, suggesting his work serves as a generic hybrid. Through this project, I will attempt to unpack the visual and rhetorical elements present in Moore's Detroit Disassembled. This project also seeks to analyze public reaction to Detroit Disassembled and to answer the question–what voices do these photographs privilege, and whose, if any, are ignored? This essay suggests that Detroit Disassembled, and further, Moore's use of a generic hybrid of art and documentary photography, has opened the door for artistic demonstrations that serve to further the conversation about Detroit's decline and the city's future.

Committee: Stephen Depoe Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Teresa Sabourin Ph.D. (Committee Member); Shaunak Sastry Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication