“Without Reason" is an ongoing body of work, investigating notions of my connections to queer identity and masculinity. As a photographic documentary of my hometown, Washington, Pennsylvania, I revisit locations and explore memories that shaped my own queer identity. These photographs document moments that expand decades of conflicting views and ideologies. Growing up in a conservative city, I learned to invent multiple identities that could be applied in a variety of situations. For example, my identity shifted to a very masculine construction almost as an act of self-preservation or defensive posture. The act of juggling multiple situationally relevant identities ultimately became increasingly difficult as I simultaneously attempted to figure out my true self. By culling my childhood journals I am able to explore moments that shaped current realizations about identity and sexuality. Through these times of confusion there were certain spaces, places, and objects that provided me with the serenity of solitude, space for reflection and comfort. In order to mimic the comforting solitude of these spaces, I revisit and photograph them alone. This allows me to meditate and bring myself back to the uncertainties and challenges I faced during my formative years. Interspersed throughout this photographic endeavor are encounters with various objects with which I found great comfort during some of my most trying times. These were my old friends and confidants, akin to Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh. This body of work samples moments explored from preschool through college, acting as a way to mark my passage from the trials of adolescence to an identity with which I feel my truest sense of self.
