Brandon Thibodeaux spent eight years photographing rural communities in the Mississippi Delta – exploring race, religion and his own identity along the way.
Brandon Thibodeaux’s eight-year journey in the Mississippi Delta, which resulted in the poetic images of In That Land of Perfect Day, began with a personal quest. The Texas native, who is white, moved to small predominantly African American towns of the Delta where he didn’t know a soul — armed with a bicycle, a Mamiya C330, and a stack of 3×3 inch square prints.
Brandon Thibodeaux was nursing a broken heart in 2009 when he stopped in the Mississippi Delta to look for a project that might salve the pain of a breakup. He was riding his bicycle along a winding farm road, following a series of white, hand-painted signs nailed to trees that read “Travel Rest Mount Baptist Church” until he came to a white clapboard church by a small cemetery.
Brandon Thibodeaux’s evocative work was selected for 2nd place in CENTER’s Gallerist’s Choice Award by juror, Lauren Panzo, Director at Pace/MacGill Gallery in New York. Donna J. Wan’s 3rd place win follows. Lauren shared these comments about the jurorin
When Morning Comes is a reflection of life in the Mississippi Delta. I first traveled to the region in the summer of 2009 because I needed to breathe after my own troubled times. I was in search of something stronger than myself and attended its churches not to photograph but to cry and be redeemed and to just be a part of the place. I was there to listen as I prayed for a revelation.
For the next few weeks, I will be sharing work that seen at PhotoNOLA….Brandon Thibodeaux’s evocative and beautifully executed work was awarded 2nd place in the PhotoNOLA portfolio review awards. Brandon is one of those old souls in a young self, brough
When Morning Comes is a reflection of life in the Mississippi Delta. I first traveled to the region in the summer of 2009 because I needed to breathe after my own troubled times. I was in search of something stronger than myself and attended its churches not to photograph but to cry and be redeemed and to just be a part of the place. I was there to listen as I prayed for a revelation.
