The Spillway | St. Charles Parish, Louisiana | 2016-present

By diverting water from the Mississippi River into Lake Pontchartrain, the 7000-foot flood control structure at the Bonnet Carré Spillway relieves pressure on the river's levee system when active, protecting the city of New Orleans. Built in 1931 by the Army Corps of Engineers as a response to the great flood of 1927, the structure has been opened 15 times, with alarming regularity in the last decade, including an historic four openings in the last three years.

I believe the floodplain and its surroundings are emblematic of the ways we intersect with the natural world as our climate continues to change. With an interest in the landscape's history as a sugar plantation, its current use as a site for recreation, and its proximity to the petrochemical industry, my hope is that this work will demonstrate how capitalism shapes the landscape we inhabit. I seek to generate a dialogue which examines our experience and influence through both vulnerability and culpability.