Mum

Customs are vital in defining all cultures. "Mum" is survey of my own back yard exploring themes of self-representation and strange rituals of the everyday. Artificial, shiny and virtually unknown outside of Texas, the Homecoming Mum is an elaborate corsage, exchanged between friends. They are ritually worn and subsequently immortalized, tacked to bedroom walls as trophies. At a time when many American high schoolers seem purposefully disengaged from the world around them, the Mum constitutes both a unique act of cultural immersion and a specific brand of folk art. Shot slowly and inspired by an interpretation of my memories, I have limited the settings of the photographs to in and around the subject's homes. In this very personal space, I pair spontaneous and carefully arranged moments to construct chaos; my interest is in the struggle between self and culture, the real and the perceived. With the extravagance of adornment and insignia the work continues to explore ceremony and commonplace. Human existence is a creative act; the mystery is in how we are driven to innovate and engage the unspoken narrative of ourselves. chromogenic prints 28 x 42 inches, ed. of 9