Runaways is a photographic series that explores a world established by the free spirit and independence of its inhabitants. The runaways exist within a wild space that is without rules and normative conventions. The activities in this space are based around pleasure and expression: swimming in the river, sleeping in tall grass, and playing childhood games. The images work to establish an idyllic reality that is both utopian in its conception and relatable in its expression. These runaways are able to depart themselves from everyday responsibilities and saturate a world that was made for them, by them. I hope that this work invites diverse engagement and that the notion of freedom from the mundane resonates with a wide-ranging audience.

The series is directly inspired by photographer Justine Kurland and her series Girl Pictures. Kurland said it best when writing about her series for Aperture earlier this year, “Behind the camera, I was also somehow in front of it—one of them, a girl made strong by other girls.”