Artist Statement

Traveling to Sicily was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I grew up in crowded towns and visited New York City weekly, so encountering a place filled with vistas of rolling green hills and beautiful blue skies put me in awe. I was particularly taken by the old crumbling architecture and broken little houses that dotted the landscape. In the American city, if a building is deteriorating, you demolish it and put up something new. In contrast, Sicily is a timeless country. It’s history and cultural influences can be read in the design and embellishments of its buildings and facades.

 

I have been influenced by 19th century landscape photography. Early photographers journeyed to exotic places and captured panoramic views unseen by human eyes. Oftentimes they placed figures within their images, allowing a viewer to experience the vastness of these majestic spaces and marvel in their magnificence. I approached my project with a similar sensibility.

 

My photographs are filled with dark shadows. I use grain for a desired effect, suggesting an ageless, strange presence. Black and white film lends a quiet feeling to the compositions- imbuing my images with a sense of mystery. I place myself within this landscape. I am a small, tiny figure amongst the grand scale of pillars, hills, and trees. It is as if I don’t belong, as if nature is too broad for me to comprehend. When other people are situated in my photographs, they too, are out of place. Dressed in odd clothing of a different time, they walk amongst the streets of today. They merge with the surroundings, becoming a part of it. They are as timeless as Sicily is itself.