FABRIC (60 images)

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For some, a flag is simply a piece of fabric. For others, it is part of the very fabric of their community.

The sight of a flag waving in the breeze elicits a strong and often emotional reaction.

The flag of the United States of America is one of the most recognized symbols in the world – and as such, it inspires different reactions and stirs different emotions from many different groups.

Depending on the context and the audience, the flag can be both unifying and divisive. Contemporary and historic. A sign of hope and hopelessness.

Here in the rural American Midwest, the flag remains an often-seen and highly-respected symbol of freedom, national pride and history. It is a powerful emblem of a common heritage. A symbol for which the support is often unwavering, regardless of which way the political winds may blow.

In small towns and villages throughout the Midwest, the American Flag is both a reminder of the past and a promise for the future. While it may appear in many different forms and locations, for many it remains a universal icon that represents a shared pursuit of the American Dream.

Today’s political and cultural differences often stretch the United States at the seams. But while our nation may appear to be held together by threads, for many people here in “fly over country” the stars and stripes still represent much more than just a piece of fabric. The American Flag is a part of fabric of the rural Midwest.

I think of the Midwest as being classic and timeless in nature. Therefore, I approached this project from a time-honored “straight photography” perspective in the spirit of Group f/64 and gave the work a modernist character with a strong formalist dimension. My approach was informed by the work of mid-century modernist photographers such as Adams, Weston, White, Strand and Evans. My work was also influenced by the American Regionalism movement and the work of artists who portrayed the American heartland, including Wood, Benton, Curry, Wyeth and Hopper.
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