VERONIKA AND THE SLUMBERLAND MOTEL

I've had this idea in my sketchbook for quite some time now. It just took awhile to find the perfect person and the perfect place to tell the story. There's something fascinating about the dying breed of shabby motels. The decor, the odor, the polyester sheets, the transient guests, the odd management, the broken signs, the filled-in swimming pools and perhaps most evident...the peculiar vibe that attaches itself to these places and just won't let go.

LIke many, I am inspired by David Lynch and his ability to evoke a deep, uneasy feeling, way beyond what you are seeing in the scene. I think a good photograph makes you ask more questions. Sometimes its not about what it shows, but what it doesn't. So this was a personal project to push those boundaries and leave a few blanks to be filled in.

"....as if something is about to happen." I have that written on my Note board. I think those are words to live by when making images.

A big thanks to my main man, Ian Reid (first assistant) for all the help on this one. And, of course, thank you Veronika. You brought the whole idea to life.

The Slumberland Motel

Veronika Sznajder