Allison Grant

Unsoiled

January 6 - March 2, 2017

My artwork is based on environmental science and my interest in the impact of human refuse on ecology and the global environment. Photographs of landscapes often depict a pristine environment that is devoid of any human imprint. However, the reality is that byproducts of human consumption such as plastics and other refined materials are omnipresent. Using plastics and other synthetic materials to create representations of natural landscapes, my photographs examine this conflict and illustrate how refuse is in many ways here to stay as a presence in the landscape, perhaps forever.

I work in a studio to set up each scene, and often include appropriated images taken from various media sources in my setups. By working indoors with imagery drawn from image culture, I hope to emphasize ways the idea of nature is often formulated at a distance from the processes of the natural world and fictionalized through technology and the conventions of photography.

ABOUT THE ARTIST: Allison Grant is a Chicago based artist, educator, and curator. She received an MFA in Photography from Columbia College Chicago in 2009 and a BFA in Media Studies from the Columbus College of Art and Design in 2004. Works by Grant have been widely exhibited at venues including the DePaul Art Museum, Azimuth Projects, Packer Schopf Gallery, and the Weston Art Gallery, among others. Her works are held in collections at DePaul Art Museum, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Columbia College Chicago, and 4-Culture. https://www.allisongrant.com/