Finally I have something to write about that doesn't really require much thought! Still facing the writer's block, but yesterday I watched as a piece of history was lost. The Kanaz Culture House of the late 1950s ended up in a dramatic ball of flame and smoke. This old Soviet era culture house was meant to have undergone some repairs over six years ago, but the usual case of neglect and useless people in the government only allowed it fall deeper into damages. While the main entrance was locked, the old windows and doors to its side and at the back remained open. Anyone could simply walk on in. And this meant it was a hub for vandalism, more so in the recent months.
Not long ago I heard children inside smashing the items inside. I noticed a small fire within the windows that had been left behind but fortunately had not worsened. Though this time, it was too late. Around 8PM the building was reported to be on fire, and it was huge. Flames bursting out of its large windows, and smoke visible from the city centre a few miles away. I was in the city at the time, about to head in that direction home, to which I even noticed there a strong smell of smoke. It was dark, but I could see a cloud generally in the area I had to go in. As some reports came in of a fire, I saw the location, I knew it was the culture house. I got the bus back towards home, which my last stop sadly is at the culture house itself.
Rows upon rows of police. A road blocked off. A parameter around the building blocked off. Civilians scattered around trying to see what was going on. And the adjacent buildings had been evacuated, spilling more into the streets to observe as the culture house put on its final show. And I could see the community around it, so many elderly people clearly frustrated and discussing the event. Sad to see the culture house reduced to this after supposed promises of it to be returned to its former glory well over six years prior. Where was that care? The culture house, and unfortunately I have no pictures of its interior as I was hoping to upgrade my gear before taking some, remained still with its history.
Inside was an incredibly rare Armenian themed cultural stage curtain in incredible condition. Rooms of old film cartridges that once displayed the works of cinema to the audiences that would've filled the main hall. Old pianos, old theatre costumes and pieces, posters and photographs of the past events on display. Most culture houses have been hallowed out and destroyed already. This one, Kanaz, was a goldmine for its historical preservation. I wish I had just accepted the shit quality of images and tighter focal length and taken photographs inside, to really document it. Some others had done similar things, at least. Though this made me realise more why it's so important to document the things around us. We never know when a useless politician, greedy corporation, or just stupid kids with matches might just remove the history around us.
Since I never got to photograph the inside, I decided to photograph the men and women that tried to save Kanaz. Though it was already way too late. I watched as the rooftop refused to go out. Hose after hose, truck reversing to leave as another entered. The fire continued. Nothing could've been saved inside. Either turned to ash or destroyed by the sheer density of water being forced through the building. If you're interested in seeing images of the culture house in its better days, just search online for the Kanaz Culture House.