Fashion

Portraits

Celebrity Activation

Brand Extension

Manufactured

1470

What started as the chance to photograph a group of dancers evolved into the opportunity to comment on what it's like to be a twenty-something in America right now. Reading friends' statements on Facebook in early October, it was apparent we were uncertain how much worse the economy would get or who our next president would be. Those who had a job felt either unchallenged or overworked. And it seemed everyone wanted to be appreciated more.

Armed with a list of the bleak declarations broadcast on Facebook, the dance troupe interpreted the various sentiments. Although some statements felt truly hopeless or painful, when viewed together, cast in a combination of artificial and late afternoon sunlight, we have to question whether life is so bad. Are we manufacturing the happiness or the despair?

Thank you to the A.O. Movement Collective, especially Sarah A.O. Rosner, Cristina Jasen, Oliver Hensel-Brown, Cavin Moore, Laurel Atwell, and Larissa Sheldon.