Us Through This is a contemplative series in which British-born, San Francisco-based artist Richard T. Walker creates a strong juxtaposition between human and nature. Within each composition, a calm desert scene is interrupted by a human figure, and that figure is then interrupted by a photograph of a segment of the surrounding landscape.
The artist combines his love of nature with complex questions about how we as a culture treat our surroundings. By creating a confusing fragmentation of a frame within a frame, the artist urges his viewers to consider how and why the various elements interact. He chooses to present his figures from the back in order to maintain a sense of universality and, ultimately, invites his viewers to explore an emotional connection to each place.
“As long as I can recall I have found the landscape of the USA particularly compelling,” explains Walker. “This was primarily initiated by an interest in its representation on film and the role it played in building upon the characteristics within a given story. I was intrigued by how the landscape seemed to adopt the role of metaphor and symbol, moving stories in ways that seemed to speak to something larger than the given context. It added drama in very particular ways that came to seem quintessentially American.”
