The Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn is one of the country’s most contaminated waterways, laden with toxic chemicals dating back to 19th-century New York’s industrial areas. When Nietzsche talked about gazing into the abyss, he was really talking about the Gowanus. Brooklyn photographer Bill Miller wanted to capture the flecks of life floating throughout the tar, feces, and heavy metals. The results are part documentation, part poignant snapshots of cosmic sludge. Miller told website Co.Design he sees the images as “strangely beautiful horrors” that reflect the “industrial crimes that took place there over 150 years.” Get lost in Miller’s shimmering void in our gallery.
Photo credit: Bill Miller
Photo credit: Bill Miller
Photo credit: Bill Miller
Photo credit: Bill Miller
Photo credit: Bill Miller
Photo credit: Bill Miller
Photo credit: Bill Miller
Photo credit: Bill Miller
Photo credit: Bill Miller
Photo credit: Bill Miller