Ash Oakley is a photographer based in Queens, New York, whose ongoing project ‘Cloud County’ focuses on the Sisters of St. Joseph in Concordia, Kansas. With this work, she captures the many contradictions of places like Concordia, where the ideals of the American Dream meet the harsh realities of generational poverty and economic decline.
Anything with a name like ‘Cloud County’ is going to draw my interest, but I find the way Oakley positions images of the industrial landscape next to intimate, warm portraits of the community very touching. There’s a sense of disillusionment, melancholy and emptiness to the work, but above it all it just exudes empathy.
What drew you to the Sisters of St. Joseph in Concordia?
About thirteen years ago my Aunt Christina, who has since passed, left her life behind in Florida and moved to Kansas to join the Sisterhood. I remember being so jarred and confused by this decision of hers. I couldn’t have seen at the time how Concordia and the Sisters themselves would soon become a pivotal part of my life. As someone who didn’t grow up religious (I’m not even baptized), I had a lot of preconceived notions about religion and those within the religious community. But, upon my first visit, the Sisters completely blew those notions apart, and from there my interest in their lives and community only grew.
I was really moved by the portrait of Doris Hale, which (as an outsider) carries so many positive and negative associations with it. How did you come to meet Doris and what made you decide to take her picture?
During this visit to Concordia I spent a lot of the day going on photo walks around town between portrait sessions of the Sisters. I happened across Doris Hale outside the local grocery store Rod’s, where she was stationed selling handmade poppies for veterans in honor of Veteran’s Day. Initially I had kept my distance, shooting from afar, but as I made my way onto the sidewalk it was actually Doris who struck up conversation with me. I think being a white woman in America gives me the privilege to blend into a lot of different crowds, even ones who most likely wouldn’t have me if they knew my stances politically. This of course is an incredible advantage as a photographer, especially as someone fascinated by those whose lives are so different from my own.
Once I was speaking with Doris I knew I had to get her portrait for precisely the reasons you describe, the outright almost sensational patriotism of her entire look and perhaps even purpose for being outside Rod’s carries a lot of weight. I believe impactful photography should bring up a variety of feelings within the viewer – whether positive or negative. Doris Hale’s portrait captures in essence American patriotism.
The interplay between people and their environment is really striking in your work. Where does your fascination with this dynamic come from?
I think growing up in America creates a lot of conflicts within oneself, especially as someone who grew up predominantly in a post 9/11 America rife with propaganda and therefore lots of unlearning as an adult. The impact of environment on one’s life can be astronomical. This interplay between people and their environment is a sort of anthropological study in many ways. Environment can also be very revealing – like visiting a friend’s childhood bedroom and feeling as if you’re stepping inside their mind, the vulnerability of it all.
‘Cloud County’ is such a beautiful name. Beyond referring to the county that Concordia is located in, it really sparks the imagination. Does the name ‘Cloud County’ hold any other meaning to you?
To me, Cloud County is such an idyllic and dreamy name. It brings up visions of open skies and sprawling plains; there’s a levity to it. This project may be centered on the Sisters of St. Joseph but it also toys with the idea of “The American Dream”; Concordia is a great study of this and in many ways, those forgotten by our government’s systems. A community struggling with generational poverty while still clutching onto their love of America. I think the name, while referring to the actual county, is also a juxtaposition of the community itself.
You’re based in Queens, New York, but your work seems mostly focused on the rural areas of America. Is this a conscious choice?
Initially this wasn’t a conscious choice but something that began to reveal itself to me through my work. The word ‘fascination’ keeps coming up, but that’s truly what drives this focus on rural areas. The western US and rural communities specifically, are vastly different from where I grew up and the city that I’ve called home for the past decade. I think as humans we have an innate interest in things that are different to us, whether that manifests as curiosity or fear. Mine is the former.
On your Instagram, you frequently use the hashtag #staybrokeshootfilm. What value does film photography hold for you?
I personally think that film carries a feeling that just cannot be captured through digital – and I say this after shooting a nearly two month digital project over the past summer. To me, film is always worth it, regardless of rising costs. The photos I am most proud of and keep going back to are all on film. The process lends itself to artistry. Shooting digital is great in many senses: getting to see the photo right away and make adjustments is incredibly useful. Surely I’ve lost many “great photos,” due to camera or user errors that could have been saved had I shot digital, but that being said there’s something about the trust and patience required for film photography that I find deeply valuable. Not being able to see shots right away has taught me to trust myself and my instincts more. It makes you have to be extremely thoughtful about lighting, framing and honestly whether the shot is worth it or not.
And final question: is there another photographer or visual artist you’d like to give a shout-out to?
One of my dearest friends, Abbey Gilbert, is an amazing photographer. Her work centers on her lesbian identity and has such a vulnerability and tenderness to it. You can find her on instagram at abbey_gilbert or her website: abbeygilbert.com.
More Ash Oakley:
Booooooom article about ‘Cloud County’
Online group exhibition ‘Marks on the Land’
Website