Kelsey and Christian cross America
Donation protected
A few months back Christian Haarhaus and I graduated from SUNY Purchase with degrees in photography (myself) and anthropology (Christian). Suffice it to say, neither Christian nor I have found ourselves work in anything related to our fields. Yet the passion we share for art and science remains. As our working summer season comes to a conclusion we find ourselves scrambling to meet our target goal of funds saved to spend a few months traveling on the open road. With your help, we will produce an excellent body of work and make a new statement about the contemporary cultural landscape.
The plan:
Hatched in the twilight of our career at Purchase College Christian and I boldly decided that we would visit a diner in each contiguous state. We know that it might be difficult to fulfill that goal but we will keep high expectations.
But why diners? As an anthropologist Christian is deeply interested in dissecting meaning from various subcultural movements, few of which have been as ubiquitous, distinctly American and in such a state of decline as the classic roadside diner. Diners represent so much of what our culture is addressing in this contemporary stage. In those diners which persist there remains an incredibly unique combination of tradition, innovation, conservatism, progressivism, small town society, big city dreams, sentimentality and practicality. Indeed the diner stands today as uniquely diverse in its values as in its menus.
For a photographer like me diners offer an intriguing glimpse at a peculiar visual culture, once marked by a vision of high tech future now echoing of a retro past. Diners and their customers are as diverse in their makeup as any aspect of American culture.
Hobbled together with varied menus, tricky business practices, loyal and vastly different local cultures, the diners which persist today may be the most unifying and American of all small businesses.
Or not. I suppose we’ll have to find out.
Along the way Christian and I will be writing, blogging and sharing our whole experience with you! We'll be entertaining rants about everything from pop culture to social sciences.
Every penny we raise will go towards funding our trip, from buying food and simple lodging to gas, film, and emergencies.
It was once a rite of passage for young Americans to cross from coast to coast, but wracked with debt the young are more tied down than ever. If you help us get out there we promise to make some fantastic work and say something new about what we discover.
~In addition to any funds you might generouslty offer Christian and I would gladly and humbly take a night or two on your couch along the way if you felt so inclined to offer
The plan:
Hatched in the twilight of our career at Purchase College Christian and I boldly decided that we would visit a diner in each contiguous state. We know that it might be difficult to fulfill that goal but we will keep high expectations.
But why diners? As an anthropologist Christian is deeply interested in dissecting meaning from various subcultural movements, few of which have been as ubiquitous, distinctly American and in such a state of decline as the classic roadside diner. Diners represent so much of what our culture is addressing in this contemporary stage. In those diners which persist there remains an incredibly unique combination of tradition, innovation, conservatism, progressivism, small town society, big city dreams, sentimentality and practicality. Indeed the diner stands today as uniquely diverse in its values as in its menus.
For a photographer like me diners offer an intriguing glimpse at a peculiar visual culture, once marked by a vision of high tech future now echoing of a retro past. Diners and their customers are as diverse in their makeup as any aspect of American culture.
Hobbled together with varied menus, tricky business practices, loyal and vastly different local cultures, the diners which persist today may be the most unifying and American of all small businesses.
Or not. I suppose we’ll have to find out.
Along the way Christian and I will be writing, blogging and sharing our whole experience with you! We'll be entertaining rants about everything from pop culture to social sciences.
Every penny we raise will go towards funding our trip, from buying food and simple lodging to gas, film, and emergencies.
It was once a rite of passage for young Americans to cross from coast to coast, but wracked with debt the young are more tied down than ever. If you help us get out there we promise to make some fantastic work and say something new about what we discover.
~In addition to any funds you might generouslty offer Christian and I would gladly and humbly take a night or two on your couch along the way if you felt so inclined to offer
Organizer
Kelsey Sucena
Organizer
Mastic Beach, NY
