Normal/Chicago, Illinois
I am torn between two separate lives. In this series, I try to convey my frustrations of living at a state university, and my frequent trips to my comfort zone of “home”. While trying to shoot in Normal, IL, I find it overbearing, with a hint of droll mundane-ness. My work becomes relatively deadpan and bleak to say the least, which is the artsy angst all teens want right? I try to make it work to my advantage. Outside of the barren land that is Normal, I’ve found that I can find some creative juiciness with a little hint of more complexity than Normal has to offer. I try to represent more personal values than those that are visually pleasing. Between my friends who hate art and I force to be my subjects, and a girlfriend who pushes me to get off my lazy ass for photo, I’ve found a contrast between my two worlds that can work to my aesthetic.
