ART

This piece, “Do Not Use” is a pictorial representation of today’s world and shows the almost haunting and apocalyptic-esque absence of humans due to at-home restrictions that dictate much of our lives. Our ever-changing world is even more different now because, although people are still finding ways to create their new, socially-distant normalcy, the majority of our buildings that were explicitly designed for interconnectivity still exist. In our absence, they have taken on beauty and life of their own. I find that one can receive a great deal of peace and beauty from grand designs that are devoid of human activity simply because it removes the immediate focus from, as is most often the case,  being on the person or people in the image. Instead, it allows for the viewer to really take in what is actually captured within the frame. Perhaps even more enticing is the ability to imagine the characters and stories that would occupy the space in the times that were not captured by the image. This is only a taste of what can be found when one slows down enough to enjoy and reflect upon the importance of our environment in our lives.

These photographs walk through some of the places and types of settings on campus where I’ve spent the most time in my undergraduate experience. Through focusing on balanced shots that each tell a story, the photos in this set invoke curiosity and wonder that has been so easily lost now that we spend our time in our homes where we’re supposed to be the most comfortable. We’re told that we can’t do so many things these days, but we also need to be reminded that we should try our best to appreciate what we can do and to use the tools that we have at our disposal to make the best of today’s world.