Wappinger Creek is a 41.7-mile-long creek that connects the waters of Thompson Pond to the mouth of the Hudson River in Dutchess County, New York. Carved by the creek's path is a hidden Eden nestled in a small wooded area behind the Overlook Drive-In Theater on the outskirts of Poughkeepsie. Amongst the trees and muddy banks, residents congregate in and around this watering hole. Physical and social dissonance is forgone in this haven. The maple leaves rustle in the soft breeze, and rushed footsteps progress into a subsequent splash. Placid conversation fills the air, accompanying the slow trot of those wading in the water.
Caleb Stein’s Down by the Hudson series is an ongoing ‘ode’ to the small town of Poughkeepsie, New York. Rendered in black-and-white, his photographs provide an intimate glimpse into the lives of Poughkeepsie’s residents amidst the current backdrop of de-industrialization and political tension in the U.S. The watering hole serves as a neutral zone, a side-step from the day-to-day turbulence of life. It is a communal ground that provides a place of recreation and refuge.
For more information, visit Rose Gallery.
