Urban Ground

2019-present

Urban Ground is a continuous series documenting classic motels in Reno, Nevada. As Reno succumbs further to gentrification, motels that characterize the city are being torn down and replaced by uniform high-rise apartments. This series examines notions of poverty, architecture, design, and what it’s like to live in the Biggest Little City.

Artist Statement

In this series I wanted to focus on the many dynamic compositional elements I am drawn to in Reno’s unique urban environment. Compared to other cosmopolitan cities Reno is filled with a combination of atypical and typical urban characteristics; high rise living, storefront businesses with office space or living above, casinos, and old motels. What I noticed within this landscape is that these old run down motels, which are a staple of Reno’s urban characterization, are built and painted with many of the elements of design I am drawn to; repetition, symmetry, vibrant color, lines, and shadow. There is a duality that exists in these spaces, and through juxtaposition I wanted to emphasize aesthetically intriguing elements with a typically considered unappealing landscape, and thus Reno’s motels served as a muse for this conceptualization.