Stories
A documentary gallery closely connected to the working waterfront, Harbor Works pursues photographs that tell the story of Cundy’s Harbor and its fisheries. In the tradition of small-town studios, like the Sedro-Woolley (Washington) of Darius Kinsey and the Junction City (Kansas) of Joseph Pennell, the Gallery is dedicated to creating images that form a portrait of its community. From the century-old interior of Watson’s General Store, where fishermen gather to watch over their boats in an April nor’easter, to the newly renovated Holbrook Wharf, where the 95 ft. Ruth & Pat off-loads herring to an August sunrise, each picture speaks of social change or continuity. Perhaps it is a young husband and wife, deliberating repairs to their aging lobster boat during a season of declining market prices that suggests the relentless challenges to their way of life. Perhaps it is a group of children playing basketball at the village hoop that reminds us of the importance of the younger generation to the future of a community. Or maybe it is the silhouette of a lobsterman in sea smoke that accentuates the bleak beauty of a very singular place.
Harbor Works offers a timely and realistic view of Cundy’s Harbor that reflects the dynamic nature of its marine environment. The Harbor Log is an ongoing, virtual exhibit that features periodic observations of the seasonal cycle of work, selections from which are archived in Living the Fishing and regularly displayed in the Captain’s Room. YouthWorks presents photographs and words by Cundy’s Harbor children, whose narratives provide a teaching and learning resource for the community. Each display comprises a photographic essay—a work in progress. Each reflects the spirit and character of a community that, much like the history of countless other places of work, is struggling to survive.