Ericka Jones-Craven
Artist Statement
Let It Be, 2017
America’s college class of 2018 cares less about religious identity than any other group of college freshmen in the last 40 years. As technology advances and cyberspace starts to compete with reality, traditional religious values are being forgotten. Let It Be is a research-turned art photography series that takes the perspective of America’s youth and forces them to self-identify themselves into the religious realm. Whether spiritual, religious, both or neither; each individual speaks on behalf on the activities they partake in which they consider a ‘religious’ or ‘spiritual’ experiences. The collage method is used to help visualize the many faceted-components of these young adult’s lives. By using dynamic colors, textures and such; the portraits are meant to strike as visually pleasing and beautiful. The subjects of the photographs are posed resembling old Catholic figures to create a complex which presents the subject as a religious figure; holding power and a high level of supremacy. Each subject photographed was interviewed and the most important or influential quote from the interview is used as a supporting component to each portrait. This series explores the youth’s perspective on religion and all things spiritual. Reading these images will allow one to unravel their own take on religion or gain a versatile understanding of how others perceive it.