P4 - Poetics of Space

 

Artist Statement

The images I took are a series on college football through my perspective. As football plays a major role in American Society, I wanted to take a deeper look on the impact it has on me. I attended most games this season, and I had a stronger connection to the team as I started dating one of the players. Through this relationship, many friendships have blossomed as I get to know the team better. Not only do I know them through this, but it has also allowed me to connect with others that are in my classes. I can see the impact the game has on these players individually. Yet, I had never really thought about game day in a personal way. Many of these players have not been on the sidelines since before middle school, so I decided to show game day through a spectator’s – specifically my own – eyes. For this series, I started my day off with the pregame tailgate where I was able to meet up with those I sit next to. I had never attended the tailgates until this season, so I took a picture of the sign indicating where it was happening as I had felt lost on that first Saturday. I also wanted to capture the energy of the crowd and those I surround myself with. So, I included a photo of one of the moms cheering with a cowbell, as she is one of the people who gets the crowd most excited. The photo of my roommate sitting next to me is a common view I have on gameday, and I wanted the viewer to be placed in my shoes in a way. Another thing that the players miss out on is when gameday workers throw t-shirts into the stand, so I wanted to give them an idea of what that looks like with the photo of my friends holding the t-shirt they caught. Finally, I wanted to give them a look into what we see when they sing the school song after they win the game, because many of them do not get to see the joy and brotherhood that football bonds together on gameday.