slur·ry
/ˈslərē/
noun
a semiliquid mixture, typically of fine particles of manure, cement, or coal suspended in water.
Slurry is a project documenting the people and places I encountered in my years in the concrete cutting industry. These images range from the exceedingly banal and ugly to the overwhelmingly beautiful. Between these extremes are a group of people suspended in this milieu. While, on the surface, the project is an attempt to document the lives of those working in this industry, the photographs also explore concepts of fragile masculinity, a particular type of Protestant work ethic, the cost of these attitudes, and the celebration of beauty found in the quotidian.
As a philosopher, my work in photography attempts to reconcile theoretical and pragmatic concerns. Within my artistic practice, Slurry serves as an example of a body of work that touches on concerns with masculinity as it relates to mental health, addiction, and prescribed gender roles. It is also an example of work that addresses my concerns about always trying to find beauty in the mundane.