(MENAFN- Gulf Times) When the wind stirs the surface of the water, it almost looks beautiful tiny patches of white against a dark blue background, like clouds in a summer sky.
But then there is the smell, and you remember that this is actually the oily, putrid surface of the Gowanus Canal. The tiny white clouds are what locals call 'poop foam from the sewage.
'This is the landscape that we have made and that we live in, says Katarina Jerinic, the artist behind the flags flying on all four bridges that cover the toxic canal in Brooklyn.
Jerinic, 44, has lived in New York for 17 years, and her art studio is in one of the old industrial buildings near the canal.
'I walk or ride my bike over the canal every time I go to my studio, so I watch it and I see how bad it smells, she says. 'I became really interested in the canal and started taking pictures of it.
'I would get a reflection in the canal and it would be so lovely, but then I also noticed how the oil clouds, or the poop foam or whatever, actually looked like its own kind of sky, she adds.
Jerinic's friend Ute Zimmermann, from Germany and the owner of a store on the canal, saw the pictures on Facebook and was immediately thrilled. Together, the two women organised the flag exhibit and the first major outdoor art project at Zimmermann's Gowanus Souvenir Shop, where she and her husband sell postcards, T-shirts, books and other items, mostly designed by local artists.
One item is the 'Gowanus Swim Team shirt, decorated with a skull. 'This area has become a tourist destination, so we wanted to create a classic souvenir shop but with an ironic twist, Zimmermann says.
Zimmermann, 43, moved to the Gowanus area six years ago. 'Gowanus is a special neighbourhood, she says. 'Architecturally it has very flat buildings, so you can see really far, which is unusual for New York. It's sort of one of the last cool neighbourhoods because it does have the industrial, local manufacturing and lots of artists.
Writer Joseph Alexiou, in his book Gowanus: Brooklyn's Curious Canal, says this: 'In a way, the Gowanus is a microcosm a lens through which to view the passage of history, and in particular the growth of Brooklyn and its unique identity in its relation to its environs.
Originally, Gowanus was a small inlet of the East River. To begin with, native inhabitants lived here; then Dutch settlers. There were battles on the banks during the War of Independence (1776-1883). Then came industrialisation, and the inlet was expanded into a canal that served the rapid growth of industries in Brooklyn.
After World War II, the canal area fell on hard economic times. By then, its waters had become completely polluted and toxic from industrial wastes and sewage. The area went into decline, attracting drugs, prostitution and warring gangs. It was rumoured that the mafia would dump the bodies of their victims into the canal.
Then, with New York City's resurgence starting in the 1990s, there was renewed interest in the Gowanus quarter. Artists moved in, but they were followed by real estate investors with a vision of a place that combined shades of Amsterdam and Venice with industrial-era charm.
Over time, Gowanus became a hub of trendy cafes, bars and shops. Rents began to rise. 'It's not affordable any more. But it's still there, and the people that live and work in the neighbourhood are fighting really hard to keep a part of it, Zimmermann says.
Yet the clean-up of the canal, which the local residents have been demanding for decades, is still not complete. In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put the Gowanus Canal on its list of 'Superfund sites the dirtiest and most toxic sites in the country. Step by step, the canal is being cleaned up.
But sewage is still being emptied into the canal, and the bottom consists of 3 metres of coal tar, dubbed 'black mayo by the locals.
In 2015, an activist swam in the muck to draw attention to the pollution. 'It's just like swimming through a dirty diaper, Christopher Swain told the New York Times at the time.
Zimmermann and Jerinic have never been in the water, but they do plan to go out on their first canoe tour. 'Sure, it would be wonderful if I could go swimming in it one day, Zimmermann says. 'But like anything in New York, if you make it nice, it's going to become unaffordable.
Jerinic likewise is fearful of one day not being able to afford to stay. 'This is a funny position to be in, she says. Normally one would be happy if the toxic waterway is cleaned up. 'But we live in New York City, and if it gets too nice, we won't be able to be here. - DPA
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