jennifer whiteford “Portraits have characterized the famous, honored, and revered of our times. They assist in administering the identity of family members, pets, and former lovers, while defining the said identities of strangers. By and through these small fractions of time and space we build an understanding of lives lived. It seems that the members of our natural environment are deserving of recognition for all they have witnessed—many of them living longer than we may. Isolated at times, and surrounded by demanding environments at others, the trees of our environments often fail to draw our attention as we weave past green spaces in parking lots or along highways. And yet we reserve spaces for them in national parks, we climb them and swing from them as children, and we picnic under them with our dearest companions. Every limb of these trees is shaped by changing conditions. They twist, turn, and age. It seems that these branches and roots deserve examination from those who reap their benefits. These creatures hold many secrets, not revealed at first glance but slowly unraveled through careful attention to details. At times they surround us like crowds of familiar faces worthy of empathy, almost as silent, motionless stand-ins for those not in a position to be immortalized. While I am unable to uncover their complete identities, I may make an attempt to realize their lives lived. These photographs are intended not only to capture and preserve the identities of the trees themselves, but are also an effort to draw parallels between humans and our surroundings.”
Untitled (from Arborary Identities), 2009, c-prints, 12” x 15”