Harry Crosby / Tijuana 1964
Tijuana 1964: The Photography of Harry Crosby
The Modern San Diego newsletter alerted me to this exhibition currently taking place at the La Jolla Historical Society. It has been extended to January 10th so there's still time to check it out.
Harry Crosby moved to La Jolla in 1935 when he was just a boy. He was as a science teacher at La Jolla High School in the 1950s and then pursued a career in photography. One of his early assignments was to photograph Tijuana. This exhibition, Curated by Melanie Showalter, includes some of those photos.
His photos were used in various publications during that era.
Most of the photos in the exhibition are shot in a sort of documentarian style. There are a lot of wonderful images of what you'd expect to see in Tijuana-- craft vendors, taco stands and various street scenes. They're great but what about the architecture?
Crosby documented that as well and this photo is one of the best examples.
The Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) in Tijuana followed the government's program of modern architecture that was started in the late 1940s. Architects like Carlos Obregón Santacilia, Felix Candela and Mario Pani were used to bring Mexico into the "modern" era. There was a similar building as this constructed in Mexicali around the same time.
Tijuana airport
School is in Colonia Chapultepec. It was the affluent area of the city and it turns out, a hotbed of modern architecture.
Luckily, it's still there.
Source: Google Maps
Here is another angle by Harry.
I knew there were a lot of modern houses built in Chapultepec but never saw much proof. Harry documented quite a few of them.
This one and most of the upcoming images are not in the exhibition. They come from his archive at UCSD.
Source: UCSD
Source: UCSD
Source: UCSD
Source: UCSD
So the question is, are any of them left?
Source: UCSD
I knew this one had good bones. I posted this photo on Instagram in 2015 when I was exploring the arera. By exploring, I mean I was down the street at "Taco Alley", which is a stretch of taco shops. Anthony Bourdain visited here and ate at Las Ahumaderas when he did his episode on Baja and Tijuana.
I've been meaning to explore this area more. Just from the little I've seen I can tell you you that there have been a lot of bad remodels.
I sure hope this one is still standing.
Source: UCSD
Source: UCSD
It wasn't just Chapultepec with all the modern. Crosby was there to see the construction of the Puerta Mexico or "La Concha" at the US-Mexico border crossing.
Source: UCSD
Mario Pani managed the project for the government but delegated the Puerta Mexico building to a former employee of his, architect Manuel Larrosa. Larrosa, a graduate of the National School of Architecture, had also worked with concrete hyperbolic paraboloid concrete shell master Felix Candela. That influence is evident in the design. Read more
Source: UCSD
I have vivid memories of crossing this bridge. It had lost a lot of its shine by the time I made it.
Source: San Diego Union Tribune
It was demolished in 2015.
Source: AFN
I don't want to end this on a sad note, so here is a survivor. This bank lobby that was on Revolucion.
Source: UCSD
The building is still there and it's still a bank. Also, I guess that guy hates Google.
The building was constructed in 1929 by the CompañÃa Comercial de Baja California . It housed "The Big Curios Store." Starting in the 1940s it was the headquarters of different banks. In 1964 when Crosby photographed it, Banco de Baja California was there. Today it's an HSBC. I'm guessing the furniture is not as good.
Source: Google Maps
This won't be the last post on this. I'll be heading down to Tijuana to do some more exploring. If you have any leads, let me know.
I highly recommend seeing the exhibition at the La Jolla Historical Society. There is also a book available.