GREILANGER, Ben

Photographs + Historical Photographs

Artist Statement

Ever wonder who lived in that old house? Who walked those streets a hundred years ago? My art hopes to connect the past to the present. We all experience spaces around us, just as generations before us did. When I look at an old building, I don't just see old brick, paint and windows. I try to look into the past to wonder who laid those bricks and when; how many colors has that facade worn and what kind of thoughts passed through peoples' minds staring out that window? I feel we are the current stewards of these places while we are alive, and hopefully future generations will experience and appreciate them as well. History can come alive when we get these glimpses into the past.

Artist Bio

I am an amateur photographer and historian. I also do residential real estate and remodeling, so I experience lots of different types of buildings. After exploring the Hamm's Brewery years ago, I became curious what that complex must have been like when it was bustling in the 1950s. After looking up historical photographs I decided to try and compare how things used to look to how they look now. The first time I matched up an image it felt like I was transported back in time to witness these people and places as the photographer did. I got goosebumps after glimpsing some of these faces and spaces through time. Every building is different, and every building's history is different. I hope to capture the past and present of buildings. I have exhibited my work at St. Paul City Hall, and in several coffee shops around the city.