“THE IDEA OF DEATH, THE FEAR OF IT, HAUNTS THE HUMAN ANIMAL LIKE NOTHING ELSE; IT IS A MAINSPRING OF HUMAN ACTIVITY - DESIGNED LARGELY TO AVOID THE FATALITY OF DEATH, TO OVERCOME IT BY DENYING IN SOME WAY THAT IT IS THE FINAL DESTINY OF MAN.” - ERNEST BECKER, THE DENIAL OF DEATH

“FEAR OF DEATH” IS A COMPLETED PHOTOGRAPHIC SERIES SHOT ON MEDIUM FORMAT FILM. BEGINNING IN MARCH OF 2022 AND CONCLUDING IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, I TRAVELED BETWEEN MASSACHUSETTS, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, AND CALIFORNIA, PRODUCING SURREALISTIC AND ABSURD PHOTOGRAPHIC SCENES THROUGH THE PAIRING OF ENVIRONMENTS, SOURCED PROPS, AND METICULOUSLY CONSTRUCTED SET DESIGN.

LOOKING BACK, THE PANDEMIC COINCIDED WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PERSONAL TRAUMA AND GRIEVANCE THAT I LACKED THE TOOLS TO CONFRONT OR EVEN FULLY UNDERSTAND. CATALYZED WAS MY REALIZATION THAT I WAS HEADED DOWN A PATH IN LIFE THAT WOULD NOT LEAD ME TO FULFILLMENT.

CREATING THIS WORK WAS BOTH THE SUTURE AND IMPETUS I NEEDED TO HEAL AND ACCEPT MY NEW LIFE’S COURSE. WITHIN THE CREATION OF THIS WORK I ATTEMPTED TO DREAM A ROADMAP FOR MYSELF (OR ANYONE); STEPS TO ACHIEVE A LIFE OF GROWTH AND INTRINSIC FULFILLMENT, DEVOID OF ARTIFICIAL DESIRES BORN OUT OF FEAR AND INSECURITY.

THROUGH THESE NINE IMAGES I REJECT MATERIALITY AS THE MEDIATOR TO MY FEARS OF DYING, CONFRONT THE ABSURDITY OF DEFINING MY PURPOSE AMIDST A BROKEN AND DYSTOPIAN WORLD, AND IMAGINE WHAT A LIFE MIGHT LOOK LIKE IF IT WERE LIVED FOR ALL GOODNESS AND TRUTH INHERENT TO THE HUMAN CONDITION.