By documenting my immediate world I am creating visual metaphors for common themes of life and the experiences we all share. For years I have been exploring themes and tropes of midwestern towns, and its communities. Through my work, I try to invite the viewer to tap into their own life experiences – to see parts of themselves, their lives, and compare my images to their own memories, and create a feeling of commonality.
Natural Setting Series –Visual narratives of people and places touch on the surreal tension created between humans and our deconstructed and reconstructed ‘nature’. Likewise, other images highlight the ironic use of fabricated natural objects placed within a genuinely natural setting. These different scenes in the series explore the same question – why do we feel compelled to re-create natural environments and how do we interact with them? What do these scenes of ‘nature’ say about our interaction with it or what value do we place on it?
Cary Benbow 