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THE FICTION I LIVE IN

A Visual Essay By Max Hart Barnwell

Half sun, half thinking of the sun; half sky,

Half desire for indifference about the sky.

Wallace Stevens

The Fiction I Live In is a series of photographs that explore the nature of my creative process and fascination for  the candid, unscripted beat of daily life. As I walk and notice, I am intuitively drawn to subjects that are just as different as they are similar. Archetypal and unique, these distinct characters, ubiquitous details and mundane  juxtapositions are framed as true novelties and become entry points for broader discourse about our shared contemporary human experience.

 

The work captures themes of isolation and anonymity as it highlights the irony manifested in coexistence within  urban environments. The photographs delve into liminal spaces, depicting concealed identities and singular  objects that thrive through one's interpretation and perception. This personal narrative is a testimony to the overlooked proximity we have to others and attempts to document the signs of our time.   

  

As all subjects hold stories of their own, these fragments are not mere representations of the collective  experience, but also ambiguous, eclectic moments that make up The Fiction I Live In. Through the convergence of form and beauty, I seek to inspire consciousness and curiosity for what surrounds us; exploring the innate temporality of being and its universality.

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