Still

Although they are all around us, abandoned places are often on the periphery of our daily experiences. Their particular beauty and serenity provides a unique atmosphere of isolation, a place for contemplation and reflection, despite being surrounded by the urban environment. Like a decaying time capsule, these places offer a rare glimpse into the past; we can travel in time while staying still. And this opportunity has drawn me back to the subject again and again. Still is a series of photos of abandoned buildings and sites I have visited over the last ten years. Each photo was transferred onto a found wooden object like shipping crate lids and scrap wood. I started documenting these locations as a photography student at Rowan College at Burlington County. As I furthered my education at Rutgers University, I experimented with the inkjet photo transfer process. It involves transferring printer ink from a sheet of specialty film onto a smooth wooden surface. I used this process on new cuts of wood to create the works for my senior thesis in 2019. The works in Still continue that approach to printing and displaying images. However, I felt that matting and framing photos of abandoned buildings in a traditional manner did not complement the subject matter. This time, I only used found pieces of wood that once served a function. Using found, imperfect objects as a surface comes with a unique set of challenges. No two types of wood absorb ink the same way and none of the measurements perfectly fit a conventional 3:2 ratio. The challenge is to find the right-sized piece of wood and adjust the image to fit within its dimensions. The result is a surreal, intimate glimpse of often unnoticed locations. Still has been featured in Votta Hall at Rowan College at Burlington County from March-June 2024.