When Flies Sit Still

As a photographer deeply motivated by intuition and a desire to connect socially and culturally, I am thrilled to apply for the PhMuseum Women Photographers Grant.

'When Flies Sit Still' is a documentation of the quiet tension that presently exists throughout the US. These medium format photos were made between 2020 and 2024, an infamously transitional time period for America. During these years I was transient between various cities and towns across the US via road trip, documenting friends and strangers alike.

I was drawn to capturing people who felt similarly to me about the future, simultaneously hopeless and hopeful. I did so because it comforted me and made me feel less isolated with these fears.

Turning these feelings into a tangible reality via photography helped me reconcile with life's current difficulties and allowed me to process the desires of modern survival. It also allowed me to build a sense of community in a time when everyone feels divided.

With the PhMuseum Women Photographers Grant, I will finalize this body of work. There are undeveloped rolls of film I have sitting around that I haven't been able to afford to process (16 rolls, 160 pictures total). These rolls contain images from my cross-country road trip earlier this year from New York to California. I spent a month on the road staying with friends in places like Kansas City, Tennessee, Colorado, and other small towns. After this final batch of pictures are ready to go, I can use the remainder of the funds to build and publish a book of this work. With the Women Photographers Grant, I will finally, after 4 years of work, have sufficient resources to make this project a tangible experience for the world to enjoy.

Thank you for considering my application. I am excited about the potential to contribute to the vibrant community supported by PhMuseum.