Patriot’s Dream
Cherry Creek, Nevada
2004
On a bright, sunny morning 13 years ago I took this photo of a ragged flag in a paint-peeled cabin in Cherry Creek, Nevada. I called it Patriot’s Dream as a bit of a wry comment on the state of our nation, which at that time had been embroiled in the Iraq War for a year and it was clear it was a mess with no quick or easy end in sight. In February 2006 the literary and art journal Words and Pictures published the photo along with a list of confirmed U.S. casualties in just the first 37 days of the year. The list contained 54 names, but a small time sampling of the carnage the fighting has produced.
Now, all these years later, we are still fighting in Iraq, and also in at least some capacity in Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, etc., etc., etc. And who knows, maybe soon in Korea.
In that context, on my recent trip to California I revisited Cherry Creek and the cabin in the Patriot’s Dream photo. This time it was on a dreary, rainy day. That same flag is still there. It’s hanging in there. Just barely.
Dreams Fade
Cherry Creek, Nevada
2017
Really powerful image Larry. It speaks to me on so many levels. We claim to want to restore Old Glory and make “America great again” yet we choose to be led by those that prefer us to wallow in the past. My current thought: Why do we plumb the depths of hell to power ourselves with the carcass of a dead past yet ignore the the power of the light from the heavens above. Not a religious person, just a guy that believes we’ll restore Old Glory when we stop digging up the past and rebuild ourselves by being led by those that see the future. As Bob Dylan sang, “The times, they are a changing.” But maybe I read too much in your image. Maybe it just says the sun will melt your records and fad your flag.
Thanks for your thoughts Bruce. I think the decay in the condition of this flag could be interpreted in many different ways; pick the trend you think has been going the wrong way in this country over the past two decades (or more) and these images will be indicative of that for you. For me, besides the war issue I discussed, it certainly applies as well to the “make America great again” business.
Thanks Larry. Just as we bring our own vision to the images we create, the way people interpret our images depends on their vision of the world as they see it. Everyone’s interpretation is valid and maybe appreciating that is one way to improve things.
“Appreciating that is one way to improve things.” You hit the nail on the head there Bruce. It’s hard to do sometimes, but generally worth the effort.