College Hill Review : Analog

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Analog
by Ray Kilmek

Analog landscapes are terrestrial sites that simulate environmental conditions on other planets. Typically, these areas are used by governmental agencies, universities, and independent organizations to test new technologies and, in more unorthodox instances, to ascertain the feasibility of exploration and even settlement.

The title of this series refers to these landscapes as well as to a stylistic similarity to official NASA images, ranging from classic shots of the Apollo missions to more recent images from the Spirit and Opportunity missions. My images borrow the conventions of NASA photography, including extreme close-ups and jagged panoramas, to depict more mundane landscapes in abandoned mining sites in Pennsylvania.

A Photo Essay by Ray Kilmek.

By echoing these conventions I examine the value of a degraded and denigrated landscape, reconceiving it as a site of curiosity, exploration, and adventure. This project seeks to encourage a reconsideration of local sites in light of their unexpected potential for fantasy and play while acknowledging their roots in industrial history and their monumental presence in everyday life.

Contributor's Note
Ray Klimek has shown his work in numerous venues in the US and South Wales. He is an Assistant Professor of Art at Ohio University.