MEDIUM: Photography
DESCRIPTION:
A collection of 35mm film images of the irony of the American suburbs, and by extension, the American dream.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT:
I started photography quite recently. It was during a time when I had to drop a semester due to sickness. I saw photography, especially film photography, as a way for me to make a point. I grew up miserable and lonely in the suburbs. I learned much about its racist past, through white flight and redlining. I also learned about its unsustainable future due to its land use, car dependency, and strain on infrastructure. Home ownership is uncertain for most people these days. I wanted to document the decadence of this uniquely American institution. I tried to integrate a sense of irony in my photos. For example, the native oak prairie preserve is surrounded by a freshly mowed lawn. I decided to take my pictures at sunset. My most striking pictures are those of the American flag at half-staff with the sun setting. I believe there are many interpretations of this. I think it represents decline and decay. Religion plays an element in some pieces. As an immigrant, I feel like it’s a rebuke of the dominant culture. It was quite therapeutic for me to go out and take these photos. They are a collection of both color and black and white. I made sure to take the black and white in snow, creating a nice contrast.
