What once grew straight,
And tall t’wards the sun,
Is absorbing back down,
To dirt like a sponge.

The Contemporary Dayton presents an exciting new body of work by Dayton-based photographer, Amy Powell. What once grew straight… is made up of hundreds of images the artist selected from social media that were tagged “Dayton, OH,” which she then printed and arranged specifically for the exhibition. 

Working in the pictorial tradition of American photographer Emmet Gowin (b. 1941), Powell is known for her intimate portraits of her family. Noted for their vivid colors, precise composition, and evocative allure, Powell strives to capture the banal beauty of the suburbs. For this project, however, she turns the notion of artist/photographer/curator on its head, and selects other’s images based on their striking composition, absurdity, poignancy, and visually compelling qualities; collectively, creating a portrait of a place and its citizens living their lives during perilous times. Powell’s work has been published nationally in TIME magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Elle, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and more. Collectively, this selection of images becomes a portrait of a place and its citizens living their lives during perilous times.

Amy Powell: What once grew straight… is courtesy of the artist and is organized by The Co as part of the 2022 FotoFocus Biennial.

Courtesy of the artist.