In my previous post, I wrote about the University at Buffalo's library online exhibit of the 1901 Pan-Am Expo. I was overwhelmed at the amount of information provided, and so neatly categorized I felt like I was finally heading towards the right direction. Today however, I began looking closer at the different categories, and while I was impressed last time about how there are maps and such, defeating disappointment stung my excitement. Under the "Visual Culture" section, I found the link "Architecture", giving hopes of images of the lost buildings. While some did in fact have images, others did not!! I wanted to scream out, "Why?!" Why have such a well-designed virtual exhibit and then offer no images, if not even sketches of what the buildings looked like?! And then I got to thinking more maturely and critically--- where there are pictures on the website, it shows stunning architecture worthy of Parisian opera houses and aptly named "The Temple of Music". The architecture is so incredibly beautiful, why weren't there more pictures taken back in 1901? I know, this is completely turning the aim in the wrong direction, but with such beauty and photography becoming more common, why didn't the architects/designers of the expo capture every single corner, molding, stairway and archway?
I suppose that the aim I want to take this project is to make one feel like they are at the 1901 expo. I want to introduce the project with different people's accounts; those who traveled to Buffalo for the expo (why did they travel to see it, what culturally made them leave home and head for Buffalo), and those who lived in the area? What did it mean to them, what did it mean to the culture of Buffalo? Did Buffalo's culture reflect the elegance and beauty of the expo? Was it just as diversified as the many restaurants indicated in maps and sketches? These are the questions I want to answer--- this is how I want the viewer to feel; you could have been that Buffalonian who went for amusement, or you could have been that European traveler who came to see electricity. Quite differing backgrounds, yet the common denominator was the Pan-Am Expo.
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