ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Artist's Statement

What defines Maryland? Maryland is a very diverse and interesting state, but it often gets overlooked. As a resident, when I tell a non-Marylander that I am from Maryland, I often get a lackluster response that usually involves crabs or some mention of DC. However, I want to dispel the notion that Maryland is merely limited to that, and I'm doing that through photographs.
A Snapshot of Maryland is a photography project where I showcase the many wonderful elements that define the state and make it so unique. Inside, there are 3 categories of Maryland's aspects which I will draw from to represent it: History, Nature, and Infrastructure. Each section is its own slice of an overarching picture of Maryland, a place with a wealth of lifestyles, history, and people, all within its borders.
Navigate to each exhibit by clicking the button at the bottom of this section!

Literature

My capstone project was influenced and aided by a few major sources.
One of my main inspirations comes in the form of a British YouTuber by the name of Tom Scott. Tom Scott has a series called "Amazing Places", in which he goes to some amazing places and talks about them. He tells a story, and gives life to a place that may be underappreciated for what it is. I aim to do a similar thing here: tell a story about Maryland, although instead of telling it through video, I'll do it through photographs. In particular, one location that Tom Scott covers is Aultsville, which would normally just seem like a random Canadian town, but in his video, he talks about how it was intentionally burned in the past, and it changed the way Canadian fire codes and safety for good (Scott, The Town That Was Burned for Science).
The source which has provided me with the most information, and has also been a resource for the forward momentum of this exhibit, has been the National Register of Historic Places. It has a very detailed database, and each location has a description which has kickstarted any further research I've done. Its purpose in general, as stated on its website, is that it "assists the people of Maryland in understanding their historical and cultural heritage," which is why it's incredibly useful (Maryland Historic Trust, About Us). Maryland, while a relatively small state, is absolutely packed, so the National Register was essential.

Methods

My research methods include perusing the National Register of Historic Places, and upon finding a location that helps tell Maryland's story, taking a photograph of it. These places lie all around the state, from one end to the other. While a lot of mainstream, popular places exist, there are many that don't have much common notoriety, and those certainly help tell Maryland's story in some way or another. As far as photographs go, my camera is the one on an iPhone SE 2020, which is pretty simple. This project's curation is where Maryland's story comes to life: through each category, another aspect is covered.

Audience & Impact
My project is guided towards those who have a preconception of Maryland that is oversimplified-- whether or not they live in Maryland. As mentioned before, this project is a way to address what Maryland is, and as such, can serve as a way for those with curiosity to learn more about an amazing place. I want the viewers of this exhibit to learn and appreciate Maryland just a little bit more, and give a little more identity to Maryland. My appreciation for the state certainly has grown over the course of making this project, and that's thanks in no small part to the unique places within it.

References

As mentioned before, two sources that helped me the most were Tom Scott and the National Register of Historic Places. Tom Scott served as my inspiration and helped me find the most important things to look for when researching a places, and the National Register allowed me to see what options I had when doing research. For my full list of sources, click the "References" button below.

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Acknowledgements

My friends, family, and advisors have all participated and helped me bring this project to life, and I am forever grateful to them for that. In particular, I'd like to thank Heather Bremenstuhl for being a major influence on the direction of this project, and getting me to choose a direction to take my overly broad idea and turn it into something with a purpose. I'd also like to thank my mother, Ieva, for accompanying me to the ends of the state and helping me navigate through the sheer quantity of locations I visited and photographs I took.

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