Kay Westhues
Artist Statement / Bio
My body of work as a photographer and artist is concerned with the ways in which rural tradition and history are interpreted and transformed in the present day. My goal as an artist is to create projects that provoke critical thinking and reflection about the patterns and precedents of contemporary culture. Although my photographic and video work can be described as documentary, my approach is that of a participant observer.
The project shown here examines roadside springs in and near my home state of Indiana. Traditionally, these water sources functioned as part of the public commons, freely accessed by travelers or those in need before municipal water systems were available. Some springs have been flowing for over a century and have played a central role in colonialization and Western expansion. The state once contained hundreds of springs in the public commons; today only a few dozen provide a safe water supply. These are still visited by individuals who collect the water out of preference or necessity. They are sites where geography, history, public policy, and public health intersect.