Artist's Statement

Annette LeMay Burke

My project, Fauxliage, documents the proliferation of disguised cell phone towers in the American West. For me, the fake foliage of the trees draws more attention than camouflage. The often-farcical tower disguises belie the equipment's covert ability to collect all the phone calls and digital information passing through them. Our surveilled personal data is bought and sold by advertisers and stored by the NSA.

Initially cell towers were considered eyesores and plastic leaves were attached in an attempt to hide the visual pollution. With time, the trees have evolved from primitive palms and evergreens. The towers now masquerade as flagpoles, crosses, water towers, and cacti. Today, cellular service is ubiquitous and we want five bars of connectivity all the time, yet the charade remains.

I was initially drawn to the towers’ whimsical appearances, and then felt disconcerted that technology was clandestinely modifying our environment. I explore how this manufactured nature is creating a newly accepted aesthetic in our neighborhoods. My photographs expose the towers’ idiosyncratic disguises, highlight the variety of forms, and show how ubiquitous they are in our daily lives. Their appearance is now an inescapable part of the iconic western road trip and the eight states I visited.

I was initially drawn to the towers’ whimsical appearances, and then felt disconcerted that technology was clandestinely modifying our environment. I explore how this manufactured nature is creating a newly accepted aesthetic in our neighborhoods. My photographs expose the towers’ idiosyncratic disguises, highlight the variety of forms, and show how ubiquitous they are in our daily lives. Their appearance is now an inescapable part of the iconic western road trip and the eight states I visited.

DSLR Capture, Archival Pigment Prints, Framed Image Size 18” x 24”