The Domino Sugar Refinery was built in 1882 on the Williamsburg waterfront, but was torn down completely earlier this year in order to make way for expensive waterfront condos.
A new Kickstarter campaign from Brooklyn photographer Paul Raphaelson hopes to keep the memory of the refinery alive through a new photo book.
I’m making a photography book about the Domino Sugar Refinery. This Brooklyn icon was the biggest sugar factory in the world for much of the last 150 years. I was the last photographer given access to this mind-blowing place before its demolition.
My photographs will be at the core of the book, along with vintage photos from the Library of Congress and the Brooklyn Historical Society. There will be a historical essay that brings to life the sugar's role in Brooklyn’s economy and immigrant culture, and in the global slave trade. I’ve also written a personal essay on ruins in contemporary visual culture, and why we're so drawn to them. This will be accompanied by stories from former Domino workers I’ve met along the way.
In just 1 day, the campaign has raised nearly 100% of it's $7,400 goal. The funding goes towards the printing and distribution costs of the book, with some pretty sweet rewards such as signed prints and copies of the book.
Matt Coneybeare
Editor in Chief
Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.
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