The Boonville project, by Timothy Briner
Nathan, Boonville, North Caroline, 2007 © Timothy Briner
A journey is a person in itself; not two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us. – John Steinbeck
About a year ago, Timothy Briner, [interviewed here] embarked in what is his first and significant photographic project. Driven with the mission to capture the life of small-towns in America [USA], he focused on 6 towns sharing a name, Boonville [project blog]. Towns located geographically in distinct states, all with their intrinsic complexity and vibrance, with different traditions, stories, scandals and culture.
Timothy travelled across the USA to meet the people in these towns, to know about their life and so to capture the real essence that defines small-town USA.
“The people I met across the country helped me to connect this work and my journey together as one continuous thread; their consistency from one place to the next, and their true love for their neighbor, was my greatest inspiration over the course of my ten months on the road.” - Tim Briner
“Three-hundred-pus days and twenty-seven thousand miles later”, the journey to Boonville is evolving into its second phase. The next step is to compile the images and stories, to carefully edit and select the best pictures, to filter the work in such a way that forms a cohesive portfolio from the visual perspective, but at the same time, creates a series that that relates the stories of these towns and their people. The next steps to achieve the purpose of the project so we can see the skin and feel the soul of small-town USA.
Recently, Tim and the Boonville project were selected to be part of the inaugural Pause, to Begin photography exhibition, a effort that will be culminated in November of 2008 with the publication of a book, a project that looks really exciting.
Drawing from a pool of nearly two hundred applicants around the globe, the inaugural year of Pause, to Begin will culminate in November 2008 with the release of a limited edition hardbound book that highlights the work of 15 selected photographers. Additionally, these photographers’ works will be exhibited in both print and online mediums during the coming months. [Pause, to Begin]
Cannery Works is supporting the Boonville project and they need your contributions to finance the second stage of the project so to cover film-development costs, preliminary book production, gallery ready prints, portfolios, etc. If you can, please give Tim a hand to complete this wonderful project.
Starting July 2008, the project is now in its post-production phase, reviewing and analyzing the many photos and experiences captured while on the road for nine months. Please take a moment to view images from BOONVILLE as they appeared in a recent edition of Review Magazine. To support the completion of this project via a secure, tax-deductible, online donation, please click DONATE NOW.
