Nate Gowdy
Seattle, WA, USA
Vote American! - A Fine Art Documentary Project (Ongoing)
In the fall of 2015, I decided to tour the spectacle of the 2016 presidential campaign. By November 2016, I had landed in 16 states and photographed more than 100 rallies, town halls, debates, protests, and the two national party conventions. Like many, I expected the story to conclude with the inauguration of America’s first woman president.
Reality intervened with the election of Donald Trump. Instead of the project coming to a tidy conclusion, I continue to actively document the political landscape we find ourselves in. I aim to portray the love affairs between the candidates and those who show up to support them — folks who love their families, love their country, and think of themselves as good, patriotic, decent Americans.
In the face of a national dialogue that infuriates rather than informs, I hope my images — honest and candid — enlighten rather than enrage, forcing us to look for a reflection of ourselves. Some will find it: images of homespun, folksy Americans exercising their right to participate in the political process. Others of us will see groups of “others,” to whom we are prepared to ascribe any number of vices and counter-virtues based on their presence at a particular candidate’s event.
What do you see? The wholesomeness of a brave, often forgotten people standing up for their beliefs, or the nature of toxic Americana? Somewhere in between lies a vast social truth that no single photograph can ever entirely convey, but which the best illustrate in shattering increments and shades of gray.
For inquiries and work samples:
nate.gowdy@gmail.com
2019 - Link to CV, including awards and honors:
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