Tony De Anda

“I was born in the wrong time,” has become so overused that its legitimacy has been diminished. I wasn’t born in the wrong time, instead I was raised in a different era. My father taught me to appreciate classic rock n’ roll so my music tastes until recent years were purely Elvis Presley. I was raised to tuck in my shirts and keep a clean look at all times, to value the written word, and to respect my elders with the utmost manners. My mother taught me to appreciate the simpler things in life such as quality in-person relationships, authentic home-cooked meals, and pretty sunsets. In my work, I contrast these factors with a society filled with artificial pleasures, digital relationships, and synthetic products. My photograph depicts the feelings of displacement and discomfort that surrounds growing up with today’s youth while constantly feeling pressured to conform to the norm. The minuscule details may seem insignificant, but it is truly the smaller things that have the greatest impact.