Coastal communities are unlike any other. Their people depend on the sea and yet the sea is as condemning as it is nourishing. Their economies depend on marine life, the care of nautical vessels and the knowledge of their people. Their land is constantly evolving and often in a state of precarious flux. The artists of Shoreline, Greg Kahn, Glen McClure and Miller Taylor examine these facets of coastal communities through the photographic lens.
Greg Kahn focuses his attention to Maryland’s Eastern Shore in a series titled 3 Millimeters, named for the rate at which the sea level rises annually. This seemingly miniscule increase is slowly drowning the culture of the Chesapeake coast. Kahn develops a broad portrait of the evolving identity of this community through images of battered terrain and work weary tradespeople.
The arresting portraits of Glen McClure illustrate the multifaceted culture of working in the shipyards of Norkfolk, VA. Each portrait depicts a shipyard worker with a distinct skillset and conveys a narrative, indicated by his or her choice of tool and stance. Each tradesperson returns the viewer’s gaze and invites them to know more.
From the series titled Upon Sand, Miller Taylor delivers a look at the shifting sands of the North Carolina coast. Taylor’s images are purely terrestrial, yet reveal the latency of humans at every turn. Beautiful and haunting, these photographs capture the rich history and subsequent environmental and political tensions shaping the Carolina sands today.
This exhibition is held in conjunction with FotoWeekDC: A citywide celebration featuring exhibitions, programs, and events highlighting world-class photography, and providing exposure for photographers working locally and worldwide.