“A 1954 diary that belonged to a grandfather I never met serves as the inspiration for and background in many of the photographs from Between the Lines. The figures that emerge from the pages, actual vintage photographs cut and photographed in camera, represent the memories contained in the text. Shallow focus reveals small details, while obscuring the larger story.
Relationships, real or imagined, are at the center of my work. I live vicariously through unknown strangers, creating stories from abandoned diaries, letters, and photographs. I use appropriated photographs for their seemingly innocent and unselfconscious nature, reinterpreting vintage snapshots to speak about the tension and complexity in my own relationships. My work raises questions about memory, truth, and representation in photography, often drawing attention to changing attitudes toward gay and lesbian relationships. My images are works of fiction, where I project my own dreams onto moments from the past.” ~Kris Sanford