USA Projects

For the past two years I have been photographing people who have experienced severe physical trauma from accident, birth defect or assault in an attempt to surpass standards of representation. The work offers a glimpse past life’s pretends; functioning as an homage to the real, with sublime respect for the human condition. With your help I will photograph additional subjects, focusing internationally (as a strategy to surpass American fantasies of the real) and collaborate with them on short film and soundscape pieces.

 I use multiple strategies to represent my subjects as they are in order to point to who we are. A fundamental example is my commitment not to position my models as victims. I work with people who have sufficiently recovered, established a new relationship to fantasy (which organizes our experience of everyday life and tells us who we are). At this stage of recovery they are open to play, to the fundamental urge to serve as an object of desire, to social risk taking.

My sense is that when we see people with evidence of physical trauma we initially see them as people who were “not safe” and are reminded, ultimately, of our own mortality. I deeply believe that engaging with what we think we fear and yet gives all meaning to life (death – to the extent that this work is a reminder) brings with it a sense of greater peace.

By complimenting the photographs with film based work I will be able to include an intimate window into how my subjects make sense of life. Like the photographs, they will emphasize the significance of vulnerability in resilience but go further by celebrating pretend and fantasy.

I’ve been told that this body of work may be unparalleled in current photography in terms of its honesty. It can no longer be made of my efforts alone. I say this not only because have I exhausted my resources but because the work is more important than my being it’s source. I’ve come up with some inspired sponsor awards that I hope will entice you and also demonstrate my incredible gratitude of your (tax deductible!) support. Please take a look at them because they are not your everyday variety. And please, will you consider making a donation to help me move forward?

All initial funds raised will be used to travel to two foreign countries, locate and pay a fee comparable to commercial rates (a portion of which will be deferred until sales of prints/publication – when the project is solvent) to subjects I photograph and collaborate on short film/ documentaries with. Supplies will also be covered.