PROJECTS > AMERICANA
Leica Gallery Boston & DC Exhibition, Curated by Anabel Vázquez Rodriquez.
ARTIST STATEMENT: Feeling unmoored, frustrated and saddened by the growing polarization in our country, about three years ago I began photographing simple traditions and rituals of the United States that have continued unabated and can serve as neutral ground despite political rancor. Today, as we are witnessing the systematic destruction of our democratic institutions and traditional values, I believe it’s crucial to figure out what values and beliefs we all still share and to document how they are expressed in the culture.
As I’ve traveled and photographed my way across the country over the past decades I have talked with and photographed people from all walks of life: farmers, teachers, entrepreneurs, Nobel Prize-winning scientists, homeless vets, surgeons, astronauts, crack dealers, presidents, writers, directors, movie stars, construction workers, lawyers, CEO’s, factory workers, Native Americans, community activists, undocumented immigrants, transgender people, environmentalists, rock stars, cult leaders and more. It’s been a long, rich journey and Leica curator Anabel Vázquez Rodriguez included some of those images in this exhibition. And everyone I met fundamentally cared about the same things. After basic needs, it was all about reaching their full potential, finding love and building a life free of worry.
What’s often missing in the discussion is empathy and the ability to imagine yourself in another’s shoes. That glimpse into someone else’s life is something I believe photography can provide. Sparking a bit of empathy and connection is what I aspire to do with these images.
(Exhibition catalog with titles and captions available for purchase in Monographs here: https://menuez.com/monographs)
