Joseph Mottola
The appeal of photography lies in its unique ability to produce an accurate record of the world and then to strip it entirely of its context. This allows me to produce work that remains highly specific in its content yet, when extricated from the surrounding world, assumes an objective ambiguity.
The source of inspiration for my work is the inherent contrast between the personal and impersonal in the spaces we live. A mass-market refrigerator is impersonal, but its contents are personal and particular. Likewise, many homes are decorated with a mix of store-bought and unique items; a statue from a department store may stand beside a handmade model ship.
My goal in portraying these subjects is to illustrate the peculiar beauty that I find in the interplay between the idiosyncratic and the common in objects and spaces within the home. I draw attention to minute and particular features in my subjects by using close, concise portrayals, abstracting them from their surroundings. I have always been consumed by the miniscule and seemingly trivial details of the world. With this body of work, I use this obsession to provide an intimate, personal view into the places we call home.