Mojave Trashscapes by Benny van der Wal

Mojave Trashscapes is a series of photographs featuring found trash as a way of illustrating that the Mojave Desert is treated as a wasteland. Human feelings of entitlement for the land originated with early European pioneers who thought of the region as a dead zone, and contemporary land-use policies perpetuate the idea that the area is worthless. Every day, destructive activities like testing weapons and dumping garbage occur in the Mojave. The trashscapes reflect social and environmental problems through a visually playful style presenting trash in satirical scenarios.

Portfolio Entries