Last week I finally took my film camera over to the decaying house around the corner for my project, Wild. The house is intriguing––perched on a hill, it looks “inviting” with its front door ajar––but from the back the bricks are crumbling down.
Yesterday, on my way home from picking up that role of film, I passed by that corner, and the house had been demolished. Developers reclaiming what had turned into a wild space. Now there’s an empty lot, with prime real estate for new development.
The Wild opening is tonight, starting at 7pm at Artworks. After Artworks, visit Crittenden Studio to view my plant series. Where is Artworks?
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And Crittenden Studio is only 6 blocks away on W. 7th St.!
With Wild, I set out to explore the interaction between humans and nature. I searched for insights into the story of the built environment, nature’s resilience and fragility, and the changing role of different spaces in our society.
Initially inspired by Richmond’s Church Hill neighborhood, where neglected buildings covered with weeds sit next to historic buildings with manicured ivy and gardens, the project includes scenes from urban and rural spaces throughout Virginia and across the United States.
As it is the day of the opening, I have also decided to publish the show catalogue for purchase:
Here is a video from my time hanging photographs for Wild. It is on display now, with the opening reception this Friday, February 26th,2010 at Artworks.
I have undertaken a new photography project, the name of which I am still debating. Some names I am pondering include: Overgrown, Taking Over, Natural, Progress and Wild. I do not want to say too much about the project yet, but I am undertaking it to explore how the man-made world and nature interact, the resilience of nature and concrete, neglect and care, and how suburbanization affects this interaction.
I created a little gallery on my archive of some of the images, which I have posted below:
