Comic Coal Metropolis, or: short trip photos from the Ruhr Region

Back from a short trip to the Ruhr Region ("Ruhrgebiet"). Traditionally this was an area of coal mining and heavy industry. But in the last decades, more and more coal mines had to close and the whole region is now goes through a huge transition from old industry to modern industry.

The reason i went was "industry"-related: there's a huge comic + boardgame fair, and as i freelance for a comic company, i was there for live blogging and talks and generally helping with everything (including hosting the comic artists).

altogether, this now turned into a multi-themed trip with summer weather in October. here's an image stream:

view of the Ruhr Region from the "Gasometer",

an old gas tank that now is a museum 

"Zeche Zollverein": once a massive coal mine,

now an Unesco world heritage
(more photos from this place, here)

of course, not all is industry here:

church courtyard in the city centre

...and now, to the comic fair:

comic artist at work -

... and more art, now back in the Gasometer:

photo exhibition "Magisch Orte" / "Magic Places"

(which opened April 2011 and closes today, so i was just in time to see it) 

city moments: monuments and autumn trees 

sun reflections in the city

and finally: the drive back home

Ruhr Metropolis 2012

it's a time of short trips - last week the Book Fair Frankfurt, and this week i will be going to the Ruhr Region for a big comic & games fair, leaving today and back on saturday. looking forward. i visited the region in 2010 for the first time, some impressions below. this time, in addition to the fair, i hope to get the chance to see 2 monuments of the region: the "Gasometer" and the "Zeche Zollverein", which is an Unesco World heritage. here's an idea of it:

 

more on their page: Zollverein

i will do a bit of blogging from the road, catching moments and noting them right on the spot.

below, some notes and impressions from the trip in 2010. -- and the book fair in Frankfurt - if you havn't seen them, here are the 2 longer blog posts about it: the book fair photos + a roundup with reflections on books, time, prizes 

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Ruhr Metropolis 2010 

The Ruhr Region ("Ruhrgebiet") tradionally was an area of mining and heavy industry. But in the last decades, more and more coal mines were closed as the demand for coal decreased, and the whole region now goes through phases of structural crisis. In 2010 the Ruhr became "European Capital of Culture"

here's a bit more about that region: "With 4435 km² and a population of some 7.3 million, it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany, and the fourth largest urban area in Europe after Moscow, London and Paris. It consists of several large, formerly industrial cities. Industrialization began in the region with the establishment of several iron works in the late 18th century. By 1850, almost 300 coal mines were in operation in the region."

this villa is called "Villa Hügel", it belongs to the Krupp family.
(think Denver and Dallas, only that it’s not oil, but coal).



Essen street horizon

The remains of this green coal mining tower stand next to a highway:
"Förderturm Grube Günter". 

mobile-blog-test: preparing for the Ruhr region

....
test test this is a test post...

i just checked the mobile-blogging option again. in France, it cut away any accompanying text. same again in this test post: all that arrives is the title and the image sent (maybe due to the mobile-phone routine that turns the original photo in a smaller one to send?).

so i will stick to photo-posts with longer title. and good that the book in the photo arrived today - just in time. it's a collection of essays on the Ruhr region. the translated title means: "Directions for Use: Ruhrgebiet".

and the printed map in the background: that's the city map of Essen, where i will stay. "Essen" also is a verb in German, it means: to eat. so when you try and photo-google Essen, you arrive at a mix of food-related photos and photos from Essen city: Essen, or: eat it...

photo format update
i now tried a second photo size. it displays as the same format, but when you click it, there is a larger version.

France, Ruhr, Atlanta. or: "you are here"

France
one month ago, i came back from the French Alps and the Mediterranean Coast. back home, the new edition of the journal of creative geography waited for me. it's title, a moveable confirmation: you are here. the theme of the edition: Dislocation.

one of my images made it into the Dislocation. it's from another road trip to France - the photo itself is a mirrored moment from a Swiss Autobahn: Decision Point.

the edition also includes a collaborate work from the 2-layer-series with Steve Wing: Timespace Discontinuum. which fits with the special concept of the edition - the editors wrote: "The journal will not have a traditional “Table of Contents.” Rather, each selection will be placed in context with other selections, creating a sense of dislocation and renewed attention to the strange patterns of continuity that emerge from such juxtapositions."

it's a thought i like to keep, i think it also goes for journeys, the way they connect, and the places they lead to, in an unexpected and unplannable pattern of juxtaposition and thematic connections. like the one that is upcoming:

here and there
right now, i am at home, but tomorrow, i will pack a small bag for a short trip: to the Ruhrgebiet. it's a region i visited in March last year for the first time. this time, i will be there to visit the comic fair - and to do some live blogging from there for a comic website. but i also have an extra day, to explore the region a bit more, and visit the Ruhr museum, and an art museum - both rather new. i might try some juxtaposed live blogging again in this blog, too.

Ruhr
2 links that lead to the Ruhr Region: the first is from this blog, from my first trip: Ruhr Metropolis. and the other is from the first language/place carnival, from Kate Thorpe who at that point was exploring the metropolitan Ruhr region in Germany as part of a poetic Fulbright project. the images there are from a place that is similar to the one i plan to visit.

Atlanta
the second book, "I Am Here Right" is an e-book from Deckfight Press - i came across it last week, and read the first stories. it's availaible as PDF online, and about place, too: all stories are set in Atlanta. (where i've been to, once, but then, not for real: all i saw and been to was the transit area of the airport).

[update, 1 day later]
this is me in Y
the lines on being here / there made me remember the lines from a conversation that happened on London a while ago. here's the passage:

"The gap between reality and expectation – there’s this friend of mine, we met in London, and went to a place at the Thames riverside, and then crossed London Bridge. It was there, in the middle of the bridge, that my friend held in, and said: “This is me in London. .. This is me in London.”

She explained that it is her way of connecting to a place, of letting the realization of being there sink in. There is a second way to read this, of course: if we are somewhere else, in another environment, with other persons around, this also reflects on our personality, and brings out other aspects of ourselves - makes us someone slightly different."

here and there (or: links)
- the Atlanta e-book is featured in the blueprint book blog:  i am here, right
- the creative geography webpage is: you are here - the new edition isn't up yet
- the Ruhr place i plan to visit: Ruhr museum (with photo stream on the starting page)
- and another Ruhr link: Museum Folkwang
- the London lines are from a talk with Rose on stories, places, anticipation, reality