Documentary

I chose to explore the historic buildings of downtown Tucson’s El Presidio district in my documentary. This area of Tucson has a rich history from Spanish colonial times through modern day, and the buildings and structures that exist there show evidence of that history. While this area is only a few miles from the University of Arizona, I had never visited there in the two years I have been at U of A, and I think that is probably true for most students who are not from Tucson. Walking around this neighborhood, I noticed how much modern urban structures have impacted the historical nature of many of the buildings. Office buildings and parking garages peek out behind old adobe houses and parking meters and traffic signs line the sidewalk beside the reconstructed Presidio wall. However, these two elements are not at odds with each other; rather they appear to exist in harmony and form a composite that is the basis of Tucson’s history and culture. This coexistence of historical and modern elements was the focus of these photographs. I think it is important to recognize how much of this culture exists just outside the U of A, and students would find it interesting to explore this area and learn more about Tucson’s history. As students, we tend to live in a bubble that extends just outside of campus, but there is a lot more to Tucson that just the University of Arizona.