MCA Live: Parsons & Charlesworth, Alien Americana

About

Recent transplants from the UK, designers Tim Parsons and Jessica Charlesworth present an intriguing slice of Americana from their library of photographic observations. Branded “non-resident aliens” on arrival to the US, Parsons & Charlesworth have traveled widely in the three and a half years since, and have assembled a sideways yet affectionate collection of photographs in the process. These images contain quotidian objects, buildings, and signs, and yet their outsider’s perspective encourages the viewer to dig deeper and reappraise their meaning. From design classics to curious signage and roadside obscurities, their photographs seek to reveal both the beauty and, at times, absurdity of contemporary America.

A slideshow of the collection will be on display along with a selection of prints, and Paul Durica of Pocket Guide to Hell will join Parsons & Charlesworth for a discussion on the work and the influences that led to the collection's creation.