Artist Statement:
I’ve always found it fascinating how we, as humans, define and graph spaces and places, creating boundaries that guide our movements. I often wonder about the uncharted areas, the spaces in between where we are ‘supposed to be’. What happens when you venture off of the paved path or drive away from the main road? How does this forced expectation of direction and purpose impact our curiosity and ability to explore?
Environmentalist Marion Shoard defined the term ‘edgeland’ as the “interfacial interzone between urban and rural.” I was inspired by work of the New Topographic movement from photographers like Frank Gohlke and set out to explore how these boundaries clash in the spaces around me here in St. Louis.
In my exploration of the Edgelands of St. Louis, I focus on the relationship between ecology and infrastructure. I explored how we understand the edge spaces that are often overlooked and forgotten on the fringe of our urban environment. I challenged myself when trying to explore new spaces and disrupt my convention of what it means for somewhere to be called a place. We often categorize nature and infrastructure as two separate beings, so I wanted to examine their constant connection as they interact, build onto each other, and break down.
I explored how the edges of highways, metros, roads, and sidewalks play into our perceived sense of boundary. By capturing these marginal zones, I aim to highlight the constant conflict and struggle as nature contends with humanity’s relentless drive to build and assert control over space. I hope to give the viewer an opportunity to reconsider the complex entanglement between natural and constructed realms.
