ABOUT THIS WORK: FREE MARKET
Since 2003 I have been witnessing the unregulated, unfettered growth of Iceland's economy and now I am part of its tragic collapse which occurred in October 2008. The suburbs of Reykjavik practically doubled in size in less than a decade and currently the expansion of this small city is on hold with entire neighborhoods not finished, and people living amongst never to be finished construction. The surrounding construction materials will remain as a constant reminder of the days of the flourishing economy and the reminder that for one short decade, Iceland was known as one of the wealthiest nations in the world.
The disparity between the rich and the poor was one of the initial subjects of my work. As the country expanded and gained wealth, the neighborhoods which were built in the 1950's to house the poor were forgotten about. Though barely true, they have become known as the "ghettos" of Iceland, housing mostly immigrants now. These neighborhoods are reminiscent of the treatment of poor communities in America. The neglect towards these districts is possibly a denial of the hardship that this nation experienced as recently as a few decades earlier. Since there is a lack of interest in maintenance of these areas, the neighborhoods take on a unique style which breaks free from the trends of the times.
My work has been a personal investigation into understanding the homogeneity of this small nation, the influences from America and the rapid modernization this country saw in a few short decades. Iceland has been in the spotlight first as a unique place to travel and now for its economic tragedy. These photographs are the visual representation of the desire for a culture to modernize themselves and enjoy the luxuries available in this present day.