Artist Statement:
From the food we consume to the medical advice we receive, advances in genetics and genomics are being translated into things that influence a multitude of practical, social, and personal choices we make. This photographic project gives voice to how Americans from all walks of life perceive these rapidly expanding fields by photographing participants alongside their response to the question: “How do you think genetic research will affect the future?”
Aiming to document a diverse range of American sentiment, everyone from scientists, artists and thinkers with a deep understanding of genetics to average Americans off the street are being asked to participate. Taken together the goal of these portraits is to create a visual record of how Americans are grappling with an area of science that is on the cusp of changing how we all think about life and our power to influence it in the most fundamental way.
Over five hundred portraits have been taken as part of this project. The selection of portraits here come from the first phase of the project, where individuals where photographed one at a time wherever I encountered the participants from 2010-2013. To see the full series of photographs including the top 40 images please see the Genetic Portrait Project Website or the project's Facebook page.
1. Jade, Archeology Student
2. Mark, Artist
3. Stephen, Magazine Editor
4. Daniel, Web Developer
5. Michael, Molecular Biologist
6. Michael (detail)
7. Alan, Neurologist
8. Grid of additional portraits
9. Grid of additional portraits
10. Ken, Genetic Hematologist
11. Sean, Gallery Director
12. Eric, Dir. National Human Genome Research Institute
13. Shannon, Student
14. Paula, Genetics Councilor
15. Kim, Bioethicist
16. Autumn, Artist
17. Jordan, Architect and Designer
18. Madeline, Cellist
19. Mark, Pharmaco Epidemiologist
20. Mark (detail)
21. Ronnie, Retired Welder
22. Ted, Industrial Agricultural Researcher
23. Scott, Nursing Student
24. David, Computer Scientist
25. Jeff, Archeology Student
26. Bill, Artist
27. Christina, Public Health Researcher
28. Ryan, Environmental Activist
29. Lucey, Nursing Student
30. Joe, Environmental Studies Student