As I observe my environment in Joshua Tree, CA, I search for shapes and shadows to capture. Wistful gray tones imbue the photographs with my emotional and spiritual connection to the land. There is a focus on texture and detail. Serendipitous moments in the film emphasize light and shadow, which reflects the strong duality present in our experience of the human/nature relationship.
There is vulnerability and tension between human touch and the natural landscape. Power lines interfere with horizon lines. Fences block the viewer’s entrance into the landscape. Collectively, we are grappling with the violation of our sacred relationship with nature. The visitors, like myself, pretend Joshua Tree is untouched by modernity, maybe in an effort to reclaim our innocence. These photographs represent an erroneous conception of a “protected environment”, opening doors to questions about self-preservation and perception of reality.
–Sunny Rolfs
Image Credits
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35 mm Film Photography
2021 -
35 mm Film Photography
2021 -
35 mm Film Photography
2021 -
35 mm Film Photography
2020 -
35 mm Film Photography
2020 -
35 mm Film Photography
2020 -
35 mm Film Photography
2021 -
35 mm Film Photography
2020 -
35 mm Film Photography
2021 -
35 mm Film Photography
2021 -
35 mm Film Photography
2020 -
35 mm Film Photography
2021