American Bedroom

American Bedroom is a cultural and anthropological study of Americans in their private dwelling; their bedroom. The nature of the project will be portraits of individuals, couples and families that reveal the depth of their character and spirit. My interest lies in the poetic resonance of ordinary subjects much in the convention of our forefather of the documentary tradition, Walker Evans. I follow his practice of photographing commonplace subjects, working class Americans, beneath notice and yet the very fabric of our nation. I am passionate, but not sentimental about America as evident in my book, Hometown. I am drawn, as Evans was, to the quiet magisterial beauty of people half lost in memory, with too much time on their hands or in silent paradox. I argue and persuade that these subjects matter. “American Bedroom,” offers a composite portrait of the United States through unguarded portraits of Americans in their bedrooms. The images she has made so far – paired with pithy, poetic quotes from each subject – are full of subtle details that invite us to contemplate the idiosyncrasies of each enigmatic life. She reminds us that, in an era rife with hot-take, reductionist analyses of the American body politic, her fellow citizens really do contain multitudes. Hugh Pinney - VP Getty Images Editorial