The Trail of the Dead is a visual anthology of life and death within the central region of Kentucky. Photographic imagery, surveillance footage, and archived media present the intertwined storylines of a family and whitetail deer with shared experiences of trauma, and the landscape understood as home. 

This story's root is the 1999 death of my second cousin in an alcohol-related automobile collision. The events preceding and following this incident shape my perception of inherited family trauma. While this work references personal memory, Kentucky has one of the highest mortality rates for drugs, alcohol, and suicide. 

Deer imagery parallels my family structure and the deer living near my home and family property. Observations of inherited trauma and its mythological connection to nature manifest in a curious anxiety over the fate of the next generation of my family.

Memorial tribute for Sheryl Lynn Banks featuring her photo, birth and death dates, and personal message from loved ones.
Black and white photo of a house with a large tree in front, dogs near a red truck parked on the lawn, and a dog house in the background.
A shirtless man with dark hair and a woman in a striped shirt near a chain-link fence, with a cloud of smoke or dust nearby.
Two young girls sitting on a floral-patterned sofa, with a man standing nearby, in a room with a large window and a lamp in the background.
A newspaper article titled '1 dies in Hurstbourne Parkway collision' with text reporting a fatal car accident, injuries, and funeral arrangements, set against a background of dark, cloudy sky.
A black and white photo of a person sitting on a chair holding a deer's head with antlers, inside a room with a wooden cabinet and window.
Black and white photo of three deer on a grassy hill next to a brick wall, with a house and large tree in the background.

how lost we are

A deer in a garden at night with glowing eyes, surrounded by bushes and plants.
A young girl with long hair, wearing a rainbow-colored eye mask and a pastel jacket with rainbow patterns, covering her face with her hands in a dimly lit room with sunlight streaming in.
A hand holding a small snake with its mouth open, casting a shadow on a red and black background.
Graphic of a bullet.
Graphic of a bullet of a target.
A black and white archery target bag with red and black concentric circles set on green grass in a park with trees and cloudy sky in the background.
A deer standing among green foliage and bushes near a tree in a forested area.
A tabby cat sits on the edge of a green dumpster filled with animal carcasses, with a farm vehicle and trees in the background under a cloudy sky.
A young man with shoulder-length blonde hair, a mustache, and a goatee, standing outdoors in a wooded area during late afternoon or early evening. He is wearing a camouflage jacket, a camouflage baseball cap worn backwards, and holding a black can koozie with a beverage can inside.
A young girl in a white polka dot sweater and beige pants with rolled-up cuffs stands with legs apart on a green lawn, with a brown horse tied to a building in the background, and a white propane tank in a shed. The scene is outdoors on a sunny day.
Young man in a black suit and green tie sitting on a bed, exhaling smoke.
Looking up through a circular hole in a dark, weathered surface, with some branches visible through the opening.
Black and white photo of a human hand with tattoos, holding up against a plain wall background. The hand shows a circular tattoo on the palm and various tattoos on the wrist and forearm.
Two large bare trees with thick trunks in the foreground, a river and hills in the background, with a bridge crossing the river, and an overcast sky.
A large tree with distinctive bark surrounded by leafy bushes.
A close-up image of a black and white fly on a surface.
Black and white surveillance footage showing a person walking on a city street near parked cars, with two of the person nonchalantly walking.
Line drawing of a person performing a wall squat exercise, with back against a vertical wall and knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
A property envelope inside a sealed plastic bag with black zip ties, placed on a white surface.
Close-up of a deer's eye with a scar and some water droplets or tears on its face, lying on rocky ground.
Woman with long hair wearing a black beanie and jacket, standing outdoors in a grassy field.
Black and white image of a midge.
Sketches of two scenes: the top scene shows a reclining woman wearing a headscarf, in a semi-realistic style with loose lines and shading; the bottom scene depicts a woman angrily yelling at a statue of a woman with flowing hair, with rough, expressive lines.
Black and white pixelated photo of a person.
Black and white pixelated photo of a person.
Two deer, one with large antlers, touching heads in a natural outdoor setting, possibly during night time.
Two young deer, possibly fawns, stand close together at night, with one slightly blurred due to movement, captured by a night-vision camera.
Two deer standing in a wooded area at night, illuminated by a flash or night vision camera.
Black and white photo of a forest clearing with trees and bushes, with four deer visible in the background
Two women wearing masks stand near a funeral casket with a floral arrangement outdoors, with cars and trees in the background.
A young girl with a polka dot shirt stands by a wooden fence in front of a small, white, weathered house with a metal roof.
A group of butterflies on rocky ground, some resting and some flying.
A young deer with white spots on its back standing among dense bushes and flowering plants in a garden.
Snow-covered ground with a red spray-painted word 'FAWN' and a small red blood-like smear. Dead branches stick out from the snow.
A dead animal lying on the ground among leaves and branches.
A group of people mourning at a gravesite with a statue of a deer in the background, some wearing masks, in a cemetery with tombstones and trees.
A black cow lying on the ground under trees in a forested area.
A young girl with curly hair styled in puffs, wearing earrings, a colorful choker, and a patterned shirt, stands outdoors against a blue sky with clouds.
Black and white portrait of a woman with a patterned background.
Outline of two fighting deer.
Blurred upward view of a blue sky with scattered clouds, and out-of-focus red flowers and green foliage in the foreground.
A child lying on a patterned bed in warm lighting, with hair illuminated by sunlight and face partially obscured.
A young deer standing in a grassy area near a stone fence, with trees in the background and bright sunlight overhead.
Black and white photo of a mountain landscape with forested hills and a few scattered clouds in the sky.
A woman dressed in black winter clothes standing in a snow-covered forest next to a black dog with tall ears, surrounded by snow-laden bare trees.
A deer with antlers standing in a dark forested area.
Black and white portrait of a woman with short, curly hair, wearing a patterned blouse, standing in front of a decorative lattice background.
A young deer with small antlers standing in a backyard next to a wooden fence and trees.
A deer standing on a grassy patch near a brick wall, with trees and a building in the background, in a black and white photograph.

from your special little one