Justin Maxon

Photographer
   
When The Spirit Moves
Location: Eureka, CA
Nationality: American
Biography: Justin Maxon is a visual storyteller, educator and socially engaged artist. He collaborates with communities that are connected to his own positionality and history, making design and ideation decisions with participants. His socially engaged... MORE
Public Story
When The Spirit Moves
Copyright Justin Maxon 2024
Updated Mar 2017
Topics Documentary, Photography

Chester, PA is located along the Delaware River and has a rich history dating back to the mid-1600s. Then in the mid 1960’s the city experienced an industrial collapse and subsequent economic meltdown. Many residing in Chester (pop 37,000) now live in an environment of hardship. A food desert spans the length of the city. The city's public schools rank last among the state's districts. The murder rate is one of the highest per capita in the United States. The chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime in Pennsylvania is 1 in 273; in Chester it’s 1 in 37.


With this work, I want people to understand the true complexities of living in a community like Chester. How everything is interlocked: a patchwork of trauma and courage. A woven legacy deeply rooted in the foundation of American society. In an endeavor to critically confront the present as a complex narrative, I chose to experiment with multiple exposures. 

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