Have you recently been living by any life philosophy? Remember to close the door behind you. What will baffle future generations about our day and age? I hope they are baffled by how poorly we treated the very things that we depend on. Are you aware of any conspiracies? These days, most everything in American politics and big business feels like a conspiracy against the average citizen. Narrowing it down, based on an article I recently read, The Heritage Foundation sure sounds like one. What is it that interests you about photography? It forces me to slow down and be here now. What is the worst thing about city life? Traffic, cost of living, and the impossibility of finding a quiet natural setting. What part of the planet would you like to explore? At this very moment I am craving a backpacking trip in the Sierras, but I’d like to go to the remote monasteries in Zanskar. What do you think is the most plausible of the supernatural? Telepathy. If you had to align yourself with a leader in history, who would it be? Marcus Aurelius, I have been reading his meditations lately. Pick a field of science to be an expert within. Astrophysics. What moment have you most wished you’d had a camera when you hadn’t? I can’t think of one. Choose a job you would be willing to do for free on the side. Farming or woodworking. Describe the most important photo you’ve seen. Robert Wiles 1947 photograph of Evelyn McHale’s suicide off of the Empire State building comes to mind. How often do you take other people’s advice? All too often. Describe a personal hell. Accounting, spreadsheets, tax season, details. Which living person do you most admire? Generally speaking, my friends and family. On what occasion do you lie? I lie to myself all the time about how long it takes me to drive somewhere and how much good sleep I get. What was the last crime you witnessed? Yesterday, I was driving with an expired, out of state license plate and I noticed the person in the car next to me was texting while driving.
What is the best way to educate yourself? Curiosity, failure, reading and conversation. What is the next book you want to read? The Overstory by Richard Powers. Ultimate camera? I’d like a camera with the size and functionality of the Ricoh GR but it has a full frame sensor, 40mm lens and is waterproof. Most used camera? Ricoh GR II and Nikon D850. What object do you want? A house with a few acres of land. What object do you need? Lunch. How would you explain the internet to someone from the 1950’s? First you put most everything you depend on in your local town, such as your library, grocery store, general store, social gathering locations and post office inside a screen that fits in the palm of your hand. Then you never make eye contact with anyone else, ever again. Are you satisfied with your level of physical strength? Not currently. Describe a cheap thrill. Running. Pick an historic moment from the last hundred years to bring a camera to. The eruption of Mount Saint Helens. Are impulses more important than consequences? I have been told that you only learn from failures. Which talent would you most like to have? I’d love to instantly know the names of all the birds and plants that I see. What is your plan for the next 24 hours? Unfortunately, I am nursing a neck and back injury so I am mostly stuck on the couch. Today, I have appointments with a chiropractor and massage therapist. While resting, I plan to read The Overstory, catch up on the news and the World Cup, stretch and make plans with a few friends who are helping print and bind a book dummy for Journey to the Interior next month.
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Journey to the Interior focuses on themes of identity, anxiety and the current state of the American Dream, such as it was in the rural communities I lived in and traveled through while working on this project. The photographs were taken during the years leading up to, and following, the 2016 presidential election.
Bio: Garrett Grove (b. 1982, USA) gained an MFA in Photography from the University of Hartford (2017) after following a BA from Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA (2005). He lives and works in Southern California.
To see more of Garret Grove’s work visit — Website.
