In 1826 Connecticut's first free African American church was constructed on
Talcott Street in downtown Hartford. A church stood on that site until the
1950's. The site is now the entrance to an office building and parking
garage. Chin re-created the facade of the original church, using a wood
frame, plastic mesh, and chalked details. Stairs were constructed using
rubble from the recently demolished Society for Savings building on Main
Street, and the type of iron rod used to hold back highway erosion. At the
opening celebration the choir from Faith Congregational Church, the
descendant of the original Talcott Street Church, sang in the space that had
been sacred for more than 130 years. 'Ghost' was installed for 6 months in
1991. This project was not about nostalgia. 'Ghost' called into question
whether human constructions, such as buildings, or social, philosophical,
and religious structures, can prevent the erosion of our cultures and
communities. 'Ghost' was intended as a catalyst for reflections on change.
