Seph Lawless

“Art isn't complete until it's shared.”

“Strangely enough, as I explored these abandoned malls, I found myself acting like a kid all over again. At times jumping up on to nearby fountain ledges trying to balance myself as I became mesmerized all over again by the futuristic skylights that dangled fearlessly over my head.”

“There are usually three sections of people who like my work. There are those who like them aesthetically. They see beauty in the images. Second, there are those who like the horror aspect, which is by design, and I like that. Third, there are those who are moved by the historical or political nature of them. They want to talk about them.”

“I want people to see the fact that we've lost millions of manufacturing jobs to outsourcing and globalization. Sometimes images can convey that better.”

“To find beauty in the most grotesque things is a gift.”

“The Democratic Party's success or failure - if they expect any opportunity to gain a political foothold in the foreseeable future - resides solely on the party's ability to reconcile with the American people, most especially with the Americans that they chose to ignore.”

“I like to try to capture places that a lot of people went to or have a deep emotional connection to. Malls, abandoned speedways, abandoned theme parks. To me, those are most interesting kinds of things to capture.”

“I grew up listening to the alternative rock music from the '90s. Some of my favorite bands included Dinosaur Jr, Guided By Voices, and Cobra Verde.”

“To be inside an abandoned mall is surreal. Often times I feel like I'm the last person alive on the planet.”

“Don't be in denial. Police misconduct is nothing new, but the technology we have to capture it is. Nearly everyone is now equipped with a smartphone with a camera, so these incidents are more readily caught on film.”

“I've always wanted Americans to see what's happening to their country from the comfort of their suburban homes and their smart phones. I want people to see the beginning of the end of the greatest economic machine that the world has ever seen: America.”

“My city is not only losing jobs. We're losing people, and it's frightening. During my recent art curation at the City Club, I spent most of that time urging Cleveland residents and city officials to adopt a plan to merge East Cleveland with Cleveland so we can maintain our population, because doing nothing is no longer an option.”

“My fellow liberals need to open their minds and realize that not all Trump supporters are racist, sexist, or deplorable individuals.”

“I'm sick of watching 'Blue Lives Matter' supporters idly stand by any police officer simply because he wears blue, ignoring the facts that should make them cringe in disbelief and horror. Police brutality is systemic, not anecdotal.”

“If you're a detective, and you use your channels to get to Facebook, and you get someone that has access, you can go on and get anything you want.”

“I remember Geauga Lake. I remember Six Flags. I remember going to the mall. I hung out there. These big, grand places that served as pinnacles of the community were not only institutions or places of commerce. They were communal spaces where a lot of people went and shared good memories. These are very nostalgic places.”

“It's funny; people in Europe seem more interested in decay in America than Americans.”

“Shopping malls across the county are dying fast, and my images of them are very nostalgic for most people that grew up attending these malls. These malls were communal spaces. These were gigantic chat rooms before the Internet existed. You went to the mall to meet and communicate with others, not just to shop.”

“Police are supposed to protect and serve, but sadly, they protect their self-interest first and foremost.”

“I don't over-photoshop my images; I really don't like to do that so much.”