Leaving the City Behind

It was in 2006 that Lucas Foglia (born 1983, New York State) loaded his photographic gear onto a camper and headed for the southeastern United States. For the next five years he documented people living ‘off the grid’—here meaning not only doing without modern utilities, but generally pursuing a self-sufficient way of life, free of reliance on commercial supply chains. The reasons why these people have turned their back on the city and embraced life in the wilds are many and varied: ranging from the religious to the economic. Nevertheless, many of them appear to access the Internet on a daily basis, using solar panels and car batteries for power. Marked by the contrast between beautiful landscapes and this unique lifestyle—which provides a symbolic commentary on contemporary society—Foglia’s work represents a powerful contribution to the American New Colour Photography tradition.