Two Lights, Vienna, Virginia, USA

“20 Lights”: a project I shot last fall…

Twenty lights stand between me and work and home. Twice a day every day I face the same set of obstacles, following the same rules and patterns, yet still the environment changes, ever so slightly, everyday. For thirty to sixty minutes a day they dictate my movements, and over time I begin to think I sense their moods: anger, spite, benevolance, cold, vindictive, impersonal, tempermental, quick and long to change their minds. I learn to treat them with care, with respect, believing that my attitude will have an impact on their decisions. Their power is unquestioned; but over time I reinterpret their meaning: not as obstacles, but as opportunities to pay attention, understand their environment, take notice of these artifacts of our daily lives.

Click here to view the project.