Americana

Americana – a personal journey through the Midwest of America

Americana is a photographic journey through the Midwest, a reflection of its proud history and heritage, and my personal love letter to the ‘Hawkeye State’, as Iowa is known. Although much has changed since my childhood in the 60s and 70s, there are remnants and echoes of the simpler life I remember, as well as the remains of the towering agricultural structures that still stand guard over the endless fields of green and gold. Industrialisation has put paid to many old farming traditions and many family farms themselves. The small towns of my youth feel sleepier and less engaged in modern life than ever, even as the giant railroad tracks continue to carry heavy loads of coal, lumber and freight across the state. The working class fabric of Iowa has a simplicity and honesty that I admire, although it’s a struggle for some, and evidence of decline is not hard to find. This personal photographic series brings together some of the defining images of my childhood, as well as iconic themes and landscapes of the Midwest. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed creating and curating it.