In a Tribute to Ever-Changing Rural America, Brendon Burton Collects a Decade of Photographs in ‘Epitaph’ — Colossal



History
Photography

#Brendon Burton
#landscapes

All images © Brendon Burton, shared with permission

From the wheat fields of the northern Great Plains to misty days in the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, Brendon Burton (previously) captures a side of America many of us rarely have the opportunity to explore in depth. Despite the vast square mileage of the nation’s rural areas, hundreds of counties see declining numbers of residents each year.

Throughout North America, relics of past inhabitants dot fields and foothills, glimpsing complex lives. Dilapidated farmhouses, churches, and grain elevators stand amid the stark, magnificent landscape in areas that seem to exist in a different world and operate on their own time. While people are typically absent from Burton’s images, the human impact on the land is everywhere. He approaches these places with a keen and admiring curiosity, reveling in layered, fraught, and sometimes unknowable histories.

This year, Burton has collected a decade’s worth of photographs into a new book titled Epitaph, which seeks to “unravel the knot of mystery” he says in a statement, “…shedding light on unseen histories and buried past lives.” The book is scheduled for release in early October and is available for pre-order now on his website. You can also keep up with Burton’s travels on Instagram.

#Brendon Burton
#landscapes

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. You’ll connect with a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, read articles and newsletters ad-free, sustain our interview series, get discounts and early access to our limited-edition print releases, and much more. Join now!