Artist Statement:
My work explores the contradictions of modern life, creating a reality that often appears constructed but is not. I capture scenes and environments that resemble empty sets waiting for the dramatic moment to begin. In this way my work operates in the gap between two dominant trends in contemporary photography, constructed scenes with implied cinematic narratives, and deadpan, hyper-real documentation.

With these photographs I am attempting to break with the seriality of my previous projects while continuing to explore the cinematic quality of everyday life. Traveling through America one is struck by the homogeneity of the welcome centers and rest stops encountered on route from state to state. Have individuality and creativity been stifled by Americas quest for the convenient and familiar? An eerie quotidian sublime emerges through the camera and is magnified by the large-scale prints and enormous detail. An underground mens room in a cave becomes a bizarre display of Duchamp ready-mades. A garbage circle arranged by the side of the road presents a mysterious display of our junk food eating habits and wasteful packaging obsessions. I have found intention in the most haphazard situations, constructing visions more vivid than I could ever conceive beyond the lens.

Seen as a whole these photographs illustrate the eerily sublime and strange superficiality of the American Facade. The landscapes and environments in these photographs are man-made yet they appear neglected. They seem to be both absurd as well as unexpectedly beautiful. I am attracted to and repelled by what I see.