Artist Statement 

My photographic work offers a critical lens on American identity. Recent projects look at cultural appropriation within American military training and the experience of converts to Islam. This work examines how we, as a nation, grapple with citizenship, whiteness, and Orientalism.

As a young adult post 9/11, I worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bénin, West Africa. Through this experience, I learned to see myself as an American, and to take ownership of my power in a global context. Living in Bénin during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, my Béninois friends questioned me continuously about the wars. “Claire,” they would demand, “why is your country bombing innocent women and children?” This experience forced me to confront the disproportionately large influence that we have as Americans, and how our actions, or inactions, impact the lives of people worldwide. This awareness has informed my art practice ever since.

Photography is my language for thinking and speaking. I lean into picture-making's visual and psychological aspects to draw viewers in, encouraging them to think about the issues driving the work. The photographs are large-scale, at 30 x 40 inches, typically rendering the people depicted life-sized. From a purely visual perspective, I love the way that space arranges itself through the camera lens. Saturated color, glowing light, and formal composition are recurring strategies in my work. Although the portraits can be quiet, they demand attention from viewers.