Strange Creek

Legend says that there was a skeleton of a man with a rifle and shot, who was discovered next to a tree by a creek. Carved into the tree was the following statement: ‘‘Strange my name, And strange the ground, And strange that I Cannot be found.” Legends, myths, and folklore are something that have fueled the imagination of people since the dawn of humankind. They are especially pertinent to the area of central Appalachia. Shawn Campbell uses the tools of folklore to tell an intimate story about Strange Creek, West Virginia. Through mixing truth, make-believe, and the unknown - Campbell’s images show the possibility to discover something more than what can be seen by the naked eye. Strange Creek is a place that has had its fair share of involvement with folklore: the initial naming of the unincorporated community and to the stories of alien or UFO sightings known to locals as the “Phantom of Flatwoods.” Campbell’s photographs combine a vision of his family lineage along with the myths that surround Strange Creek.