Ruin of Tabby (Shell) Construction 1936

Editor: Here we have Walker Evans’s 1936 photograph, "Ruin of Tabby (Shell) Construction." The stark black and white image shows what looks like a crumbling building overtaken by nature. What historical layers are we seeing here? Curator: This image resonates with complex historical currents. Evans, working under the Farm Security Administration, documented the effects of the Depression, but this goes further. This tabby construction is specific to the coastal South. Tabby was made from oyster shells, lime, and sand. It was primarily constructed by enslaved Africans, isn’t that sobering? Editor: So, this ruin isn’t just a sign of economic hardship but also of a much older injustice? The forced labor of enslaved people. Curator: Precisely. Evans, by focusing on this architectural remnant, forces us to confront a past deliberately built upon exploitation and maintained through segregation. It's also the visual story of nature reclaiming spaces. How was this photo first received? Editor: It's fascinating how Evans used photography, often seen as objective, to highlight politically charged narratives within everyday landscapes. Knowing that this photograph was captured in 1936, during the Depression, it may well have offered both documentary evidence and social commentary about neglected infrastructure. Curator: Exactly. The ruin becomes a stark visual metaphor for societal decay but also enduring injustice, prompting viewers to question whose stories and histories are visibly present and whose are literally buried within the landscape. Food for thought, no? Editor: Absolutely. It makes me consider how ruins act as constant reminders, visible and not so visible. It is all food for thought, thanks.