Artist: Matthew J. Brown

Project: New Developments

Description: In the artless, tender images that make up his project, New Developments, photographer Matthew J. Brown investigates the fluctuating story of land use in his home state of Tennessee, where agricultural regions have gradually given way to instances of retail and commercial real estate. These encroaching businesses—primarily box stores and food chains—often serve a short tenure on their lots before packing up and vacating, only to be replaced by similar, if slightly rejuvenated, enterprises. Along with the images of New Developments, Brown writes of his work’s mission to document the phenomenon of Tennessee’s “perpetuating dead market cycle,” using the lens as a tool to frame examples of a “nation in transition, one which fosters a culture built on convenience and comfort through familiarity and pleasant consumer experience.”

Eyes on the South&\#xA0;is curated by&\#xA0;Jeff Rich. The weekly series features selections of current work from Southern artists, or artists whose photography concerns the South. To submit your work to the series, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..