Constellation

A few summers ago, I was on a root in Arles in the early morning; I could still see the moon and the stars in the sky when the idea of the photographs in this book first came to me. It's strange how being away from the sea makes me long for it. Hemingway wrote about Michigan in Paris cafes and about Paris in Florida; distance helps longing.
I've always lived close to the sea, and its presence evokes a feeling of wonder and a sense of interconnection in me.
Astronauts describe a similar feeling as the "overview effect"; the view of Earth from space changes their perspective forever. As you travel north in California, you reach a vast stretch of land that feels like time hasn't passed; the sun plays a never-ending drama on its massive waves, a cauldron of light, and an expanse of mystery. A great sea of stars, where we once came from and will one day return.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to all who swam and supported this project : Natalia Leite, Zumi Rosow, Cole Alexander, Abrielle Stedman, Akira Ament, Laurel Thoma, Kayten Schmidt, Meredith Ambruso, Stephanie Nicole Smith, Lourdes Hernández, Louis Gropman, Matt Anderson, Constanza Piaggio, Alexandre Thumerelle, Babeth Djian, Nadia Lessard, Heyward Hart.

David Black
2024