Erik Parra
Scouring local resale shops and thrift stores, I mine vintage
popular books and magazines for pictures and print ephemera
related to the development of modern America. I generally
look for familiar-feeling images that relate psychologically to
modern experiences of space, and I am particularly interested in
images fertile with possibilities for subtle narrative or contextual
contradiction.
I cross-reference this found material with related, compositionally
appealing images—pulled from the Internet—to create
imaginative yet rigorous collages, drawings, paintings, objects,
and installations. I try to open up new spaces for productive
critical reflection by challenging easy readings of time and
place. I advocate for viewing contemporary concerns related to
notions of mobility and success through the lens of history. I like
to think of this as sort of checking in on the present condition
of the American dream.
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