Corey and Emily Critser find home at the AVA Gallery
I’ve called the Chattanooga Valley home now for thirteen years, comfortably nestled under Lookout Mountain. I can see Rock City and the Fairyland Club from my back porch. I can pass through a blanket of fog on the mountain to be greeted with a bright day in the valley below. It’s a beautiful place to call home.
So when my friend from Texas expressed feelings of claustrophobia when she visited me in the valley, I was understandably confused. She hated all the things I loved about valley life. The mountains felt smothering in comparison to the wide open skies of Texas. Home for her was open plains and unbroken horizons—which doesn’t sound so hot to me. Especially since it’s Texas, where “hot” would be an understatement.
The moral of the story is, the definition of “home” has always been fluid, and Corey and Emily Crister have an upcoming exhibit in the newly renovated AVA gallery exploring the gorgeous and nebulous concept.
Last year, Corey and Emily moved all of their belongings into a storage unit and embarked on a 100-day road trip across America. They photographed more than forty national and state parks, capturing landscapes and landmarks alike, capturing the diverse forms of beauty American terrain can offer. Their series explores the concept of Home, discussing what “home” means to different people.
Like the Cristers, this exhibit is a wanderer, only staying in Chattanooga for two days. The reception is this Friday at 5 p.m., and will remain until August 6