I grew up in a small Indiana neighborhood next to highway 114 and I-65. We had two truck stops, a fireworks warehouse, 3 fast food restaurants, 2 motels, and Coopers Tire and Truck repair that was surrounded by crop fields and woods for miles until you got to the next small town. These towns were built on railroad, factory, and big agriculture ethics. Growing up in this blue-collar environment exposed me to the substance and production of Mid-West America. To me, the stops in this location are the heart of America within a one mile square radius. The relationships and connections we have with our everyday rituals are more symbolic than we might think. The experiences we have within the decisions we make about the certain value meals we decide to buy, the route we take to our 9-5 job, or even the way we celebrate the Fourth of July all have a set of meanings, which are often overlooked and discredited. These experiences all have a life of their own and are there for a reason.
My work represents the significance of the insignificant, through the exploration of materials and objects we hold to a specific identity. The connectivity we have with the way we create and make our choices form the significance of the relationship. By examining what lies beneath the surface and how certain actions and materials hold identity, I let the viewer explore an established perspective they might have never examined before.
-Adam Wollenberg