Apocalypse With Pictures

These portraits are part of my ongoing series, Apocalypse with Pictures. In the series I examine the phenomenon of independent professional wrestling at a small rural venue located in Homer, IL. I’m interested in how the international cultural phenomenon of professional wrestling is imitated, interpreted and reinvented at the local level. Professional wrestling may confuse the uninitiated. The level of camp and hyperbolic violence betrays any hint of an authentic contest. But that’s because wrestling is an art form, not a sport. Often harking from modest economic backgrounds, wrestling is an expression of youth rebellion for many of these local performers, reinventing themselves as larger-than-life, campy characters.