Mariah Karson: American Legion

Firecat Projects is proud to present American Legion, a photographic exhibition of recent documentary work by Mariah Karson. A public book release and artist reception will be held on Friday, July 28, 2017 frpm 7-10pm. The exhibition is on view through August 18, 2017.

AMERICAN LEGION documents Karson's travels to photograph and interview Legionnaires at four American Legion posts in towns with populations under 1,000. From 2014 to 2016, Karson witnessed and explored the lives of Legion members and the impact veterans and posts have on small communities. The project has been compiled into a 252-page hardcover book that will also be on display at Firecat Projects.

Karson’s photographs and book capture the faces and firsthand accounts of veterans through military experiences, both in wartime and beyond. An example of true Americanism in a diminishing era of organized participation, the project involved spending countless hours with participating veterans as she was welcomed into the various communities she documented. As the U.S. veteran population decreases, Karson's showcasing of unique veteran experiences reminds the reader why service members are so highly regarded and valued in such small communities. Her photographic work captures the daily lives of these veterans and how the cherished military service of years past is still able to flow throughout the fabric of the present community.

Image: Mariah Karson, Fifth of July - Cody, NE2015, archival pigment print, ed. of 7, 24" x 36"