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Illuminating Disparity: Economic Inequality in the Midwest
Illuminating Disparity: Economic Inequality in the Midwest examines the contemporary world through a socioeconomic lens. Using documentary photography, an emphasis on the culture, values, and political issues is analyzed in the context of the Midwest.
The current (2017) estimates of economic inequality leave the top twenty percent holding eighty percent of the wealth while the bottom forty percent barely share a percentage point. These statistics extend further than research but permeates every aspect of life. When born into one economic class it is nearly impossible to rise higher on the economic spectrum. These photographs capture facets of life affected by the economic sphere.
The focus of the Midwest is due to its subtle economic disparity. It is rarely thought of as being high in disparity but instead evokes thoughts of nostalgia and familiarity. These photographs are meant to pair these ideas with the current socioeconomic environment. The political and economic reality subtly infiltrates the composition. This series should allow the viewer to recognize this disparity in the world today.