TO THE RUMORED GARDEN
This series of images carefully maps social and cultural landscapes using iconic symbols of freedom and forward movement. It also point to the contradictions in literal and conceptual values imbued into the Western landscape to uncover the the modern connection and disconnection people have to their surrounding landscape. Through the work, I examine the pressures capitalism places on the environment and on one's community.
These images are the result of a quasi-collaboration with writer Erica Olsen ("Recapture, and other stories", Torrey House Press). It began with a simple invitation to Erica Olsen to work collaboratively on a project. After the invitation, a series of emails ensued - Erica and myself talking about ideas, about similar events happening on our disparate Western landscapes, and events in our lives. The start of an image here, the start of story; more images, more words. While the end result is not what I envisioned when I issued the original invitation, the three stories and four large-scale images and one sculpture that resulted represent an exciting conversation between two people.