Liz Lantz | American,
Liz Lantz, (formerly Liz Cockrum) was born and raised in Chicago, IL. She received her BFA in Photography from Columbia College, Chicago, IL in 2006. She currently lives and works in San Diego, CA.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT ON THE SERIES, "KANE COUNTY" (2002-2005)
From 2002-2005, I focused on making landscape photographs in the suburbs of Chicago. As part of an extensive exploration of the development of open spaces, I began to ask myself about the people being affected by this transformation. My questioning led me to the family-owned farms of Kane County, about 45 miles west of Chicago.
On these farms I found a way of life uncommon in suburbia. Unlike many families in developing communities, these families did not move to Kane County because of a job or for better schools. Rather, they form a continual community of generations living on and from this land. These farmers struggle to maintain their way of life and keep their jobs as the inevitable transition from farmland to strip malls consumes the land around them. The development not only disrupts the farming, but also the possibilities of another farming generation while their children attend suburban schools. As they are influenced by and exposed to lifestyles outside the farm, their interest in farming rapidly dissipates.
Despite the evidence of sprawl I found within their townships, in their homes I found collections of history, family, and farming that define the unique sense of place they have created for themselves. I was surprised to realize the intense feeling of nostalgia their homes were filled with, almost as if their farms were already gone. Interviews with my subjects brought even more surprises, as I discovered a way of life extremely foreign to my own suburban upbringing.
Through these images, my goal is capture the transition of these fleeting lifestyles, both as they are today and in their impending new state of being. This body of work represents a culture in flux. Personally, these families are adjusting to drastic changes within their environment, in addition to eventually being displaced from their own community. As the encroaching development raises the value of their land, economically the farmers are forced to make a decision: fight to farm or cash in? Two of the six of the farms in these photographs have been sold since I began this project in October 2005. Whatever my subjects ultimately decide, the farmers of Kane County stay realistic in knowing their lives and livelihoods are undergoing a severe change.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT ON THE SERIES, "SIRENS" (2007 - Present)
The sport of surfing extends beyond wave riding and casual afternoons at the beach. Surfing is a lifestyle and a culture, rich with traditions that span continents and generations. Women have played a role in the progression of surfing since its birth in Hawaii centuries ago, but recent decades have seen a great shift in their place within the sport. As surfing rose to popularity on the mainland United States in the 1950's, women were largely viewed as sexual objects within the surf culture. While they certainly maintain and represent a level of sex appeal, today's female surfers are pushing their limits and influencing modern surf culture more than ever before.
My intention with this body of work is to celebrate the courageous and innovative females who are pioneering this cultural shift. The surfers I have photographed are full of passion and determination, but participate in the surf world without the dominating ego that has been prevalent in the surf world for decades. Some of these women are professional surfers known around the globe, while others have only recently "caught the bug" and are still very much beginners. Regardless of their skill level, each of these women introduces a positive energy focused on community, friendship, and enjoyment that is uncommon in an all-male line-up.
We have all seen images of the objectified surfer girl, and photographs of surfers riding waves. By documenting these women in spaces outside of the water, my aim is to take the viewer beyond the typical representation of women in surfing and show them the softer side of surf culture. As seen in my images, these women carry their positive energy back to the shore with them, infusing it into their lifestyle and personal spaces. Surfing is a way of life focused on finding enjoyment, discovering nature, and living simply. Through these women, we begin to recognize individuals and a culture exemplifying qualities that each of us can mirror to improve our own lives.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT ON THE SERIES, "NEONATURE" (2002-2005)
Across the United States, suburban sprawl is consuming our landscape and homogenizing our sense of place. As an individual who spent her first 20 years growing up in the suburbs outside of Chicago, I found myself constantly longing for nature and wildness, yet surrounded by cookie-cutter housing developments and oversized retail stores. Each time I discovered a new patch of open space, I also discovered a "For Sale" sign somewhere on the property.
Our country is frequently referred to as a melting pot, because of the many ethnicities and races that call the US home. But, this country is also home to many regional cultures complete with their own sense of place, and incredible variance in geography and eco-systems. As suburbia continues to grow outwards from our big cities, it eradicates our natural spaces and takes these unique cultures with it. Through these images of natural spaces before, during, and after development, one can see the sacrifice we are making for the American dream. It seems that even after we reintroduce nature into our landscape, it mimics the buildings through monotony.
Using nature as a stepping-stone, these photographs begin to address the larger issue of the vacancy of place in suburbia and how the design and planning of an environment can make or break the sense of place one can form within it. Rather than subduing nature to create a country of sameness, we need to realize that nature is a powerful tool we can use to create places, not just spaces, to live in.
Liz Lantz, (formerly Liz Cockrum) was born and raised in Chicago, IL. She received her BFA in Photography from Columbia College, Chicago, IL in 2006. She currently lives and works in San Diego, CA.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT ON THE SERIES, "KANE COUNTY" (2002-2005)
From 2002-2005, I focused on making landscape photographs in the suburbs of Chicago. As part of an extensive exploration of the development of open spaces, I began to ask myself about the people being affected by this transformation. My questioning led me to the family-owned farms of Kane County, about 45 miles west of Chicago.
On these farms I found a way of life uncommon in suburbia. Unlike many families in developing communities, these families did not move to Kane County because of a job or for better schools. Rather, they form a continual community of generations living on and from this land. These farmers struggle to maintain their way of life and keep their jobs as the inevitable transition from farmland to strip malls consumes the land around them. The development not only disrupts the farming, but also the possibilities of another farming generation while their children attend suburban schools. As they are influenced by and exposed to lifestyles outside the farm, their interest in farming rapidly dissipates.
Despite the evidence of sprawl I found within their townships, in their homes I found collections of history, family, and farming that define the unique sense of place they have created for themselves. I was surprised to realize the intense feeling of nostalgia their homes were filled with, almost as if their farms were already gone. Interviews with my subjects brought even more surprises, as I discovered a way of life extremely foreign to my own suburban upbringing.
Through these images, my goal is capture the transition of these fleeting lifestyles, both as they are today and in their impending new state of being. This body of work represents a culture in flux. Personally, these families are adjusting to drastic changes within their environment, in addition to eventually being displaced from their own community. As the encroaching development raises the value of their land, economically the farmers are forced to make a decision: fight to farm or cash in? Two of the six of the farms in these photographs have been sold since I began this project in October 2005. Whatever my subjects ultimately decide, the farmers of Kane County stay realistic in knowing their lives and livelihoods are undergoing a severe change.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT ON THE SERIES, "SIRENS" (2007 - Present)
The sport of surfing extends beyond wave riding and casual afternoons at the beach. Surfing is a lifestyle and a culture, rich with traditions that span continents and generations. Women have played a role in the progression of surfing since its birth in Hawaii centuries ago, but recent decades have seen a great shift in their place within the sport. As surfing rose to popularity on the mainland United States in the 1950's, women were largely viewed as sexual objects within the surf culture. While they certainly maintain and represent a level of sex appeal, today's female surfers are pushing their limits and influencing modern surf culture more than ever before.
My intention with this body of work is to celebrate the courageous and innovative females who are pioneering this cultural shift. The surfers I have photographed are full of passion and determination, but participate in the surf world without the dominating ego that has been prevalent in the surf world for decades. Some of these women are professional surfers known around the globe, while others have only recently "caught the bug" and are still very much beginners. Regardless of their skill level, each of these women introduces a positive energy focused on community, friendship, and enjoyment that is uncommon in an all-male line-up.
We have all seen images of the objectified surfer girl, and photographs of surfers riding waves. By documenting these women in spaces outside of the water, my aim is to take the viewer beyond the typical representation of women in surfing and show them the softer side of surf culture. As seen in my images, these women carry their positive energy back to the shore with them, infusing it into their lifestyle and personal spaces. Surfing is a way of life focused on finding enjoyment, discovering nature, and living simply. Through these women, we begin to recognize individuals and a culture exemplifying qualities that each of us can mirror to improve our own lives.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT ON THE SERIES, "NEONATURE" (2002-2005)
Across the United States, suburban sprawl is consuming our landscape and homogenizing our sense of place. As an individual who spent her first 20 years growing up in the suburbs outside of Chicago, I found myself constantly longing for nature and wildness, yet surrounded by cookie-cutter housing developments and oversized retail stores. Each time I discovered a new patch of open space, I also discovered a "For Sale" sign somewhere on the property.
Our country is frequently referred to as a melting pot, because of the many ethnicities and races that call the US home. But, this country is also home to many regional cultures complete with their own sense of place, and incredible variance in geography and eco-systems. As suburbia continues to grow outwards from our big cities, it eradicates our natural spaces and takes these unique cultures with it. Through these images of natural spaces before, during, and after development, one can see the sacrifice we are making for the American dream. It seems that even after we reintroduce nature into our landscape, it mimics the buildings through monotony.
Using nature as a stepping-stone, these photographs begin to address the larger issue of the vacancy of place in suburbia and how the design and planning of an environment can make or break the sense of place one can form within it. Rather than subduing nature to create a country of sameness, we need to realize that nature is a powerful tool we can use to create places, not just spaces, to live in.