CONTROLLED BURN
The U.S. was built on the idea of movement and setting up new roots, and like many, I am a transplant and have lived in the South longer than anywhere else. I ask locals, “How long do I need to live in the South till I’ll be considered a southerner?” Their answer is always the same, NEVER. Controlled Burn is a conceptual photography series that explores the smoldering act of assimilation and the pursuit of home. To illustrate narrative experiences in unfamiliar territory, I combine familiar, domestic objects into uncommon assemblages. The wit and juxtaposition of the art directed still life’s convey observations and the challenge to belong while navigating a new place. The combinations become a metaphor for feeling out of place while offering a reframe of regional stereotypes, inviting the viewer to question what is being represented and how it resonates with their idea of the South.
Controlled Burn is also an object in the form of an artist made photo book. The signed and numbered edition of 50 was created in August 2022. The book has been acquired by the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, University of Washington Special Collections, Museum of Fine Arts Houston Libraries & Archives, University of Georgia Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Savannah College of Art and Design Library, Baylor University Book Arts Collection, Ohio University Libraries, University of Colorado-Boulder, and Rochester Institute of Technology as well as private collections. It was selected for the Self-Published Photo Book Show at Davis-Orton Gallery, Griffin Museum of Photography, and chosen by Paul D’Amato for Filter Photo: Back on the Shelf show. To inquire more about the book please email smdavis.64@gmail.com.
