Artist Statement
Recently, I left New York for Massachusetts' farm country where I'm working on a series of photographs entitled Bare Handed. These images depict wildlife biologists and farmers who work in tandem with nature. The individuals include wolf trainers, beekeepers, small-scale turkey farmers, sheep farmers, and vegetable farms run by horsepower. They allow themselves to be vulnerable in the face of nature and accept the associated risks. This notion of facing risks is particularly immediate for a beekeeper who wears no protective clothing and catfish-noodlers that fish for seventy-pound catfish with bare hands. The mighty catfish has the power to drown a human, yet it often submits within seconds when caught. A creature need not be perceived as dangerous to exert its power. A crowd of mayflies can swarm, inducing a feeling of suffocation. A turkey's wing has the strength to leave a red mark across the neck before it submits to a farmer's gentle words and embrace. With a nod of her head, that farmer transforms into a rendition of the Virgin Mary. I am interested in the subtle line between power and surrender in these interactions.
In each photograph, I want to convey the mythical transformation these individuals undergo, and the meditative manner and reverence they exhibit. In my community, the "locavore" life is like a new religion in line with Massachusetts’ agricultural history. I celebrate the conviction for this way of life, particularly the balance maintained with nature and how they only leave the least mark. This celebration is in counterpoint to the scary and pervasive documentation of big agriculture.
Process Statement
Whenever I approach a body of work, I photograph from a variety of vantage points to find a unique perspective. Rather than use a photo-documentary approach, I limit the visual information in my photographs and often remove the original context to highlight the fantastical aspect of the scene. In general, I look for moments where two elements intersect, or two contrasting elements come together to create another meaning. I have a psychology background, and when writing up a study, one often has to dismiss findings as possibly being caused by a third variable not anticipated in the experiment. My photographs are meant to be like that third variable. I hope to reveal an aspect in the scene that isn't anticipated, or might not even be seen the same way in reality.
In terms of aesthetic decisions, I intend my photographs to evoke a sort of fantasy, and have almost a dreamlike quality. I used to say my images came to me as dreams, not while I was asleep, but rather as daydreams of scenarios I would then go about trying to create. Now, they evolve differently, but I intend them to have that same quality.