Coney Island embodies the American Dream for a few months each year.  During the winter months it slumbers in anticipation of the approaching summer.  There is a certain irony in that like the American Dream it requires a frequent injection of life to remove it from a suspended state.

But Coney Island is disappearing.  In recent years many of the attractions have closed and despite the efforts of many, what is left is slowly yielding to the developers wrecking ball.  I wanted to photograph Coney Island before the dream fades into distant memory.  But I didnt want to photograph the Coney Island whose problems are suppressed during the few months of the year when those seeking an escape from their ordinary lives navigate the arterial network of the subway to bring the lifeblood that allows it to survive for another season.  Instead I wanted to photograph during the winter months and capture the preserved state of anticipation that exists during that time.