Final series from 4x5 film study 2023.
Decay in the context of urban environments has an inherent sense of nostalgia. The forgotten, left behind, deterioration of the unkept. The wonder of what once was and what will never be again. In my photo series, On the side of the road, I explore this deterioration of environments and the beauty of the rebirth that happens within them.
The glimpse of the road that runs through many of my photos of this series, speaks to the proximity of these spaces of decay to the urban environments surrounding them. I did not have to go far to seek out these spaces. Rather, just through the act of looking for them, I became aware of their existence. Erosion and breakdown are easy to ignore, and often our brain does so automatically. Acknowledging they exist also inherently acknowledges the impermanence of
our constructed world and the transience of life itself.However, there is more to these spaces than just their deterioration. What becomes of them is a delicate balance between decay and regrowth. The persistence of nature characterizes an indomitable life force. Claiming its territory, living things push through cracks and find life in
forgotten corners.
Through the lens of the 4x5 large format camera, I am able to capture these details. The medium itself lends itself well to the focus on textures, moments, feelings, and creates a timeless melancholy in a world constructed in black and white.On the side of the road forms a visual representation of nostalgia and reflection, where the boundaries of time become fluid. This liminal space evokes a sense of collective memory as the stories of these spaces seem to unfold, unique in each of our minds. We are reminded that our own lives, too, are just as transient - becoming aware of the intricate dance between creation and dissolution that shapes our existence.
The glimpse of the road that runs through many of my photos of this series, speaks to the proximity of these spaces of decay to the urban environments surrounding them. I did not have to go far to seek out these spaces. Rather, just through the act of looking for them, I became aware of their existence. Erosion and breakdown are easy to ignore, and often our brain does so automatically. Acknowledging they exist also inherently acknowledges the impermanence of
our constructed world and the transience of life itself.However, there is more to these spaces than just their deterioration. What becomes of them is a delicate balance between decay and regrowth. The persistence of nature characterizes an indomitable life force. Claiming its territory, living things push through cracks and find life in
forgotten corners.
Through the lens of the 4x5 large format camera, I am able to capture these details. The medium itself lends itself well to the focus on textures, moments, feelings, and creates a timeless melancholy in a world constructed in black and white.On the side of the road forms a visual representation of nostalgia and reflection, where the boundaries of time become fluid. This liminal space evokes a sense of collective memory as the stories of these spaces seem to unfold, unique in each of our minds. We are reminded that our own lives, too, are just as transient - becoming aware of the intricate dance between creation and dissolution that shapes our existence.
