Mission, KS

These photographs were made in Mission, Kansas over the last year. They probably say more about me, than the actual physical place. I do not visit Mission often, except on certain errands I have needed to run. It has been on these errands that these (collected) photographs were made.

Here's some background about Mission from the city's website:

Mission was a stopping point for covered wagons on the way west via the Santa Fe Trail. Because of the clear blue water in free-flowing springs, these pioneer ancestors looked forward to setting up campsites in Mission. The springs, likewise, enticed the first residents of Mission, since the precious water was free. Mission grew as America grew, becoming the first suburb of Kansas City and has emerged as a sophisticated cosmopolitan neighbor on the east.

City Website: http://www.mission-ks.org/index.aspx

AUBADE Magazine Issue 2

I was really excited to find out today that 4 images from my recent trip to the Oz Museum in Wemego, KS have been published in the second issue of the excellent arts magazine Aubade. Many thanks to Christ Turner for selecting these images and showing faith and support for my various on-going projects and also for all his hard work in editing and designing what looks like another wonderful issue. I am truly honored and I am in the company of some fantastic artists there.

"Issue 2 of Aubade Magazine contains photography, writing and art from artists all over the world. Paintings from Japan, poems from Australia, photography from the streets of London, Paris, Stockholm, Washington DC and Antarctica." -(& Kansas of course :-)

Unpublished image from the Oz Museum series

Unpublished image from the Oz Museum series

Follow this link to view more from Wemego, KS Oz Museum (behind the curtain)

http://simonkossoff.blogspot.com/2011/01/wemego-ks-oz-museum-behind-curtain.html

To order and preview Aubade issue 2 please follow this link:

http://www.magcloud.com/browse/Issue/168848

'States of Grace' (part one) published at Netherworld Magazine

I found out this morning that part one of my photo series 'States of Grace' has been published at the excellent photography website 'Netherworld Magazine'. Many thanks to Marcin Klimek for doing a terrific job putting it all together. Please follow the link at the bottom of this post to view this feature (which is best viewed as a full screen slideshow) and see more of Netherworld Magazine.

STATES OF GRACE (Part One)

STATE:

1. the condition of a person or thing, as with respect to circumstances or attributes: a state of health.

2. a particular condition of mind or feeling: to be in an excited state.

3. an abnormally tense, nervous, or perturbed condition: He's been in a state since hearing about his brother's death.

4. a politically unified people occupying a definite territory; nation.

GRACE:

1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.

2. favor or good will.

3. mercy; clemency; pardon: an act of grace.

4. favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.

5. an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against him or her or a penalty applied: The life insurance premium is due today, but we have 31 days' grace before the policy lapses.

6. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.

Worlds of Fun, KS

Immigration Lawyer's Office

Waffle House

Event

This series of photographs was made during, and also in response to my process of immigration into the United States of America from the UK. It is a personal document – a mosaic of images or even (when viewed with part two) a poem of sorts. The immigration process took approximately one year and it was a difficult and deeply uncertain time for my wife and I. We could not make any solid future plans or put down any roots, just in case. While making this work I often felt like my own anxiety and hope was also a kind of an echo of the anxiety and hope of the nation I had arrived in, which was in the grips of recession and in the middle of an election campaign for a new President.

Follow this link to see both this feature and see more of Netherworld Magazine:

http://www.netherworldmagazine.com/