Daniel George is a photographic artist whose work explores the interconnection of place and culture as it relates to communal and personal identity. His photographs have been exhibited nationally, with recent solo exhibitions at the Speer Gallery (PA) and the Museum of Eastern Idaho (ID). His images have also been featured in numerous print and online publications, including Smith Journal, GUP Magazine, Oxford American: Eyes on the South, Wired Japan, and Communication Arts. He is currently based out of Vineyard, UT, where he teaches at nearby Brigham Young University.
Paper target on metal
License plate
Softball
Trigger Trash
The term “trigger trash” is used by the United States Bureau of Land Management to describe firearm related waste found on federally owned, public land. In Eastern Idaho, recreational shooting is legal in these rural places, but it is unlawful to discard any targets, shrapnel, or debris. As a nonnative resident and an outsider to gun culture, I began collecting and documenting these objects with the intent to metaphorically describe the traditions and ideologies of local gun owners. In order to present these items as cultural artifacts, I have adopted a visual style that is informed by the clinical approach of archaeological photography. I am interested in how these post-consumer product-targets characterize individuals, relate an attitude of rebelliousness that aligns with a mythologized view of the American West, and represent a culture of violence inexorably linked to firearm use.
Book (Srimad Bhagavatam: First Canto Chapters 1-8)
Cosmetology mannequin
Paper target on box
Cellphone
Frisbee
Helmet
Spray paint
Helium tank
Seatbelt
Fire extinguisher
Expanding foam insulation
Laptop
Soda can
CD (Rage Against the Machine: Live & Rare)
Cookie sheet
Plastic cup
Cast iron pan
To view more of Daniel George’s work please visit his website.