Garrett Williams || CLOSED


Yes, by now we have seen many series of architectural photographs documenting the great recession. A certain fatigue sets in at the thought of ruin porn. But the recession lives on and store fronts remain closed. Garrett Williams reveals a fine eye for clean minimalism and subtle color in these images shot through the windows of empty retail spaces. They appear almost theatrical, as if waiting for the show to begin. I never get tired of peering into work with this sort of sublime mystery attached to it.

"I began shooting empty rooms through storefront windows about a year ago. These are a selection I took while traveling from Oregon to California last Fall. The simple aesthetics of these spaces pleased and surprised me, and the documentation of an economic cycle became secondary. The roughness of the images gives clues to the voyeuristic nature of the project. The glass was dirty, there were reflections, and my mobility around the subject obviously limited by a large glass plate. I plan to continue this series in my next trip back."    
- Garrett Williams
















Images by Garrett Willams from his CLOSED series

More about Garrett Williams:

"I am an American photographer based in Oslo, Norway. I was trained as a fine art photographer in San Francisco, and have worked in various facets of the branch both here and there. The more I shoot the more I am fascinated by the concept of creativity. It's a feeling about an image that simply falls into place. Combine this with an enormous curiosity about people and this world and these photographs are the result. With a documentary background, my photographs are normally untouched scenarios that hopefully show how I view this fascinating world. "

Garrett Williams Photography