more forgotten objects left behind by congress theater's union tradesmen identified and documented

once again i managed to reserve some time for congress's theaters dark, cavernous attic space when i revisited the theater last week to resume documenting the interior and exterior before its its extensive overhaul gets underway.

almost immediately after entering the attic, i discovered a heavily-used galvanized steel bucket with drop handle wedged under one of the suspended catwalks surrounding one of the smaller, dimly-lit domes. finding the plaster-coated bucket is a great representation of my unyielding desire to "connect" with people (i.e., theater tradesmen) from the past. the pail was no doubt left by one of the union plasterers in the summer of 1926, just a few months before the theater's opening day on september 5th.

my excitement over the first attic discovery was rather subdued however, since i had spent the last seven hours exploring and photographing the theater's basement, auditorium, lobby, and facade. my body was in a great deal of pain and i had a throbbing headache from sensory overload, so i struggled to find the momentum i badly needed to further explore the smaller domes and area above the lobby where the giant chandeliers are anchored into place.

whether it was a second wind or perhaps an iron will to drown out the voice of pain, i managed to carry on, photographing both materials and methods used to build the auditorium's cast plaster, multi-tiered dome. in doing so, i made other discoveries much like the first time i entered the attic, including additional objects (e.g., bottles, matchbooks and boxes, braided hemp rope, hand-dipped colored light bulbs) forgotten or purposefully left behind, with most of it being tucked under the catwalks i walked along to access the outer reaches of the attic. based on what i've discovered during both visits, i am convinced there is a field of debris waiting to be found. each and every piece i find and catalog strengthens the narrative of these forgotten workmen.

image courtesy of theater historical society of america.

image courtesy of theater historical society of america.

the image gallery below represents a partial list of discarded items discovered from the most recent visit. i will continue to post additional objects as they are identified, organized, photographed and cataloged for future reference and use in exhibits.

note: since the theater's "attic" is clearly littered with the past, i intend to spend more time there during my next visit. in addition to photography, i intend to incorporate video to capture further discoveries in "real time."