Jan 18. - UP ON THE ROOF at UnionDocs
As iconic as the skyline they grace are New York’s pigeons, a heritage that is fast becoming a part of the past. An affectionate tribute and fond farewell, JL Aronson’s Up on the Roof (2008) documents the last gasp of Williamsburg’s pigeon coops as rapid gentrification and higher rents drive out not only its long-time residents, but also its long-time traditions. Through rooftop conversations with old-guard bird keepers, Aronson captures the art, skill, history, and enjoyment, of pigeons. So strong is the bond between these men and their birds that, as one person jokes, it helps save marriages, because it gives husbands and wives a little break from each other once in a while. Several men convey a loving dedication to birds because they helped keep them off street and away from drugs, as well as in school (as their parents often threatened to destroy the coop if they received bad grades).
But it is this lifelong passion that seems to be missing: the current flock of pigeon breeders began in their youth, but it seems that none of today’s youth is showing interest in birds, so the tradition is dying off. More menacing, however, is the influx of new tenants and landlords who are not only unfamiliar with the rich heritage of pigeons, but they don’t care about it. A couple complaints later, and the birds are gone. And with them goes an irreplaceable treasure. Aronson, thankfully, stepped in and recorded the fleeting memories of a pastime that is, sadly, fading irrevocably into the past.
Lovers of “old New York” and those wanting to learn about an important piece of cultural history will not want to miss Up on the Roof when it plays UnionDocs this evening. For one night only, the birds will fly again, performing their ethereal, aerial ballet to a soundtrack by Brooklyn’s own Oneida.
See the pigeons in action here, courtesy of YouTube.
