Alex Soth photo
photo: Alex Soth

A couple of weeks ago in the New Yorker, Vince Aletti wrote a brief description of an exhibition of photographer Alec Soth’s work:

Soth’s subject here is elusive; he seeks out people who’ve gone off the grid, tracking survivalists, drifters, and recluses to their makeshift lairs…

…Working through his own ambivalence—what he describes as “the desire to run away and the knowledge that you can’t”—Soth take us to a place that’s almost as seductive as it is forbidding.

Our own ambivalent  “desire to run away” — the fantasy that it is possible, the possibility of stepping out of our lives — sent us to Soth’s website to see his work. We culled some intriguing images of makeshift spaces and things from the many projects he features. They are original, eccentric, mysterious, resourceful, reflecting very improvised lives. With each one, we wonder about—and imagine— the backstory.

photo: alex soth

photo: alex soth

photo: alex soth

photo: alex soth

photo: alex soth

photo: alex soth

photo: alex soth

We hope to learn some of the back stories in an upcoming film about Soth’s work called ‘Somewhere to Disappear’. Here’s a trailer (Video link here:)

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One thought on “alex soth: the fantasy of retreat + makeshift lairs of those who have gone off the grid

  1. Thank you for this introduction.
    Im crying .
    He, Mr Soth is a master.
    Man he looks ,really looks.
    Totally inpiring.
    wow!

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