Combustion Scars Supplanted Trees

Abstract

We innately look up to what we see when we look up; the physical structures above our heads hold an incalculable psychological weight over us.

The American landscape occupies an iconic space in the history of photography, and while there are still ample opportunities for pointing lenses at serene vistas of natural beauty, it is an undeniable observation that the built environment encroaches ever further into the wild. Lands once covered in woods are now splintered by the paths carrying conveniences brought by combustion; whether we're getting from point A to point B or plugging in a phone while sitting in an air conditioned environment, much of modern life is rooted in burning one thing to turn another.

I do not pretend to be guiltless - this work was made as witness to our shared dilemma. All images in the series were captured while driving an internal combustion engine, processed to create tool paths from the borders between values, and scorched with focused light into the layers of what used to be trees.