Julian Kilker
"Actors of Avi Kwa Ame" (2022)
Photographic print
Courtesy the artist

Artist statement:
My connection with the Mojave is strongest at night, when our senses can appreciate it in ways not possible in harsh daylight. This photograph highlights “actors” in the Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness, part of the proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument. I use a custom scrim and lighting to silhouette critical players on the desert stage and reference both ancient shadow play traditions and the modern X-ray. We cannot directly manipulate these actors like shadow puppets. But we do have the power to shift our perspectives and actions that create an unfolding story of our desert—and ourselves.