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On The Beach

FL

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I want to go to the Gulf Coast to document the catastrophic oil spill currently happening in the Gulf of Mexico. My interest is in documenting where people are waiting for landfall, as well as documenting places where the oil has made landfall already.  The finished project will be a small self-published book of approximately 30 photographs.

Money will be used for flying down there, for places to stay, for renting a car and getting from place to place, for external hard drives to hold the photos made down there, for food, for research, and if there's any money left, for publishing. The more money I get, the more that will go into the project.  The more $ that comes in, the more ground I can cover and the longer I can stay...and that will mean a stronger group of photos, and a better publication!

I’m going to focus on those waiting for landfall in Alabama and Florida.  However, I also want to photograph the barrier islands in Louisiana that have been devastated by the spill if it’s possible to raise enough money to get over there.  I foresee the majority of the work being about the waiting and the anxiety.

"Some days they're saying it's been pushed out and it's not coming, then other days they're saying it's here," he said. "So from a resident standpoint, it's like an emotional roller coaster.”

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    • July 13, 2010

      suzette brown

      Community Member

      Your photos really hit home. Much success with your project. Suzette
    • July 10, 2010

      Neal Anderson

      Community Member

      Altadena, CA

      I'm so glad you're tackling this important task Zoe... your last update after this first trip is so heartbreaking, yet so important.
    • July 09, 2010

      Rikki Reich

      Community Member

      In our lifetime there could be no more urgent a project than Zoe Strauss's On the Beach project...she is being the eyes and ears for the yet unborn and future generations... so America can remind itself of the cost of our obsessive consumption of oil. There is no artist more accomplished to remind us of the danger we pose to ourselves than Zoe Strauss. We will see it all in unflinching...visceral truth....and there will be no rock to crawl under.
    • July 03, 2010

      Sally A Stein

      Community Member

      Los Angeles, CA

      This is so important and I can't for the results. Since I think of Zoe as a latter day Whitman, I need to see what her Leaves of S/Oiled Grass looks like. Will continue to think of possible press pass sources--maybe Harry Shearer can help w. media contacts? Best, Sally Stein
    • July 01, 2010

      Zoe Strauss

      Artist

      THANK YOU!
    • June 30, 2010

      Alison Feldish

      Community Member

      The success and completion of this project, because of the size and impact of the epic BP oil disaster, is incredibly important. I'm trying to accompany Zoe as a research assistant - so the more money we raise, even above $4000, the more we'll have so that I'm able to go and we'll be able to cover the cost of travel expenses. Any amount is appreciated!
$5,190
Donated of $4,000 Goal.
This project is funded!!

Donate as little as $1, or get exclusive perks for your support...

$25
5 limited edition postcards from the series made during this trip
$100
5 limited edition postcards from the series made during this trip and a signed copy of the book as soon as it’s published.
$1,000
a 1 of 5, 7’’ x 10.5’’ limited edition print from the series made during this trip + a signed copy of the book as soon as it’s published.
$10,000
1 of 1, 10’’ x 15’’ limited edition print from the series made during this trip + a signed copy of the book as soon as it’s published.
USA Gund Fellow, 2007
Zoe Strauss is a photographer and installation artist from Philadelphia, PA.
Visual Arts
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