Driven Snow, 2011

During the Minnesota winter, grit and snow gradually accumulate in the wheel wells of moving cars. Layer upon layer, these materials fuse into icy formations, conforming to the contours of the host vehicle. Regular snowfall and the persistent cold encourage these parasitic travelers to grow so dense and large that they interfere with steering. But as the season wears on, they inevitably dislodge or are kicked off vehicles into streets, driveways, and parking lots where they are crushed or eventually melted. These photographs represent a collection of these objects found in the winter of 2010-2011, the fifth snowiest on record.