POLITICAL DISPLAY

A project spanning five days in Nov. 2024, when I was grappling with the impending presidential election. Lawn decorations. Flags. Yard signs. Car decals. These displays were largely documented in Columbiana county, where I grew up, and Summit county, where I’ve lived for most of my adult life. All are from Northeast Ohio.

The purpose and boundaries of this project evolved and solidified as I worked. People who noticed me approached and shared with me their fears and experiences leading up to the election. I reached out to friends and friends of friends, and I was directed to increasingly elaborate, often handmade displays. Halloween decor and typical yard fixtures were juxtaposed with endless political symbols, creating opportunities for the construction and communication of new meanings. The resulting body of work is a collection of largely uncanny, chaotic scenes that express my own feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, and bitterness regarding our current political landscape.