Prophecy: Air Jordans circa 2017 at Valley View Mall in Dallas

Title: The Shoes Left at Valley View Mall
Medium: Photograph

Description:
Shoes outside the remains of Valley View Mall during its demolition in 2017. The photograph records a fleeting moment in the life of a place that survives largely through memory, stories, and transformation.

Details

Tore Bellis and I have spent years visiting and documenting dying malls. Valley View Mall was one of those places.

I distinctly remember spending far too much time photographing this particular pair of abandoned shoes in the parking lot. I have an ongoing series called Abandoned Shoes. Combined with Dying Malls, this was Denise catnip!

The view in the background faces the Interstate 635 service road, where the mall was in the process of being demolished.

At the time, it felt like a bittersweet end to a story.

Today, there are tentative plans for the Dallas Mavericks to build a new arena on the former Valley View Mall site. Whether those plans come to fruition remains to be seen, but the possibility adds another chapter to the story of a place that many North Texans still remember fondly.

When I was scouring my photos for an entry in an exhibition about fairy tales, fables, and folklore, this was the obvious choice.

Like folklore itself, Valley View Mall continues to exist through memories, stories, and the retelling of what once was. And perhaps, in the case of these Air Jordans, a hint of what was yet to come.

I love reflecting on my inexplicable need to spend a ridiculous amount of energy photographing the shoes. This also reinforces my behavior!

If you’re interested in purchasing this photograph, please let me know.