Thomas Mulvey

American Externality

American Externality is an ongoing body of work investigating the contested relationship between our contemporary landscape and our cultural identity. Rarely considered for its beauty, or history, American land is increasingly a practical function of its bounty. A lucid mirror capable of distinguishing our intention from our greed, land, is more privately controlled than any time in our nation’s history. In an era where verbal representation of our reality lacks both merit and accuracy, it is the presentation of photography that will be accepted by posterity for its veracity. As our autonomy dissolves behind signs labeled, “Private,” culpability rises. In this horror — destruction of Native, and federally protected land — there is beauty and people capable of change. American Externality is a series hopeful in our democracy and human resilience.

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This body of work exists physically as a zine. There are 50 total. 10 signed special editions, 35 regular editions, and five artist proofs. To view this project as the artist intended, please consider viewing his website: mulveyphoto.com