|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Artist Statement and Project Description |
You Will Want to Come Back is a series of western Canadian vignettes strung together as a loose narrative depicting a mythic road journey.
The starting point for this work was a long love affair with small town restaurants and diners that I used visit on days off from tree planting or as stops during road trips across North America. These are places that presented a home -like atmosphere, while at the same time satisfied my need for anonymity and adventure. It was here that I could curl up with a coffee, eggs, bacon and toast, write in my journal, and stare out the window. A space that felt simple and contemplative unencumbered by the constructs of everyday life.
When I began photographing these places more deliberately with large and medium format cameras, I also started to observe and collect other imagery that would help to weave the story of a transient existence. It was no longer just diners that would form the narrative, but also trailers, landscapes, and drive-ins. A jukebox that plays both records and compact discs gives a clue to the era that it is found in; a hotel sign on the side of the road is ominous in its welcome to the “Gateway Inn”.
The title You Will Want to Come Back is a direct reference to a sign that was posted on the side of the road in the town of Yahk, B.C. I chose this as the title of the work because it refers both to my nostalgic yearning for the period of time in my early twenties when I was more transient, and also in a broader sense to a belief that rural communities have the potential for a slower pace of life. This is partly due to my own experience moving from a big city to a small town, but I also feel that many people yearn for a less busy and cluttered lifestyle and so these images can function in a romantic way.
I believe the romanticism of the places and things that have been photographed is related to an attempt to find the exceptional in everyday life. In a world that strives for perfection and seamlessness, there is certain comfort in the oddities and rough character of the real world.
 This work was funded by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. |
| |
|
