Understory

The beach is quiet until it’s not. By the time I had wandered down one way, taking my time, and taking it in, the other half of the beach was starting to take on visitors. So when I got back up to the other side people were milling about, and so my least used skill, patience, was tested. I had seen this lone hook of a root sprawling twenty feet into the air away from this massive root ball and downed tree. It looked to be pulling something in or trying to pull itself up. In my head, I saw a double exposure. I knew the hooks would go opposite directions when I flipped my camera, and I knew I would edit it dark - not full silhouette, but dark enough to create shapes. I see an “x”. I see something reaching. Then I thought about the book The Overstory by Richard Powers and then I saw the understory of the tree and where this may have been when it was rooted. Perhaps around a rock or the edge of a dune. If we could only map our own trajectory by our shape.

Part of the Driftwood series.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Print size is 16x33

Custom-sized and limited edition large format prints can be ordered, please contact me for more information.

Prints and framed orders will be signed by the artist.

All images are protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976. Photographer Adam Chapin retains copyright.