I have been making portraits of the men in the Sears
auto shop where I have worked for the past 3 years. These men are my coworkers
and friends, they represent a social class in which I feel I belong.
These portraits are formal and describe every greasy
hand and tool that might be in their grap. These images represent the
people as well as the environment, they are imprints of a work life and
strongly describe place.
I am interested in the contrast between the common
worker and a heroic kind of portrait making, a visual language used for
wealthy CEOs and heads of state. I believe this language can take on several
different translations when applied to new functions.
While creating these two images, i was merely thinking
of how to most accurately represent these two men. I simply portrayed
how they are, how i see them everyday.
|