Bale Creek Allen’s My America likely incubated during childhood trips he and his family routinely made between Texas and California. Allen absorbed, and stored for future use in his work, the strangeness of the seemingly “normal” and banal on these trips. In 2016, amid travels across Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California he initiated My America with a series of photographs. Since then, Allen has traveled to 34 states with the ambition of visiting the remaining 16 by 2020, all the while creating additional images, objects, and videos.

Through his travels and resulting bodies of work, Allen hopes to create an unfiltered interpretation of “our” America. He strives for the works to inspire conversations about what America truly is based on actual observation and encounters, not preconceived ideas fueled by the media, stereotypes, or fearful visions created by politicians.

Allen attempts to make no value judgment through his interpretations. Instead, he sees himself as a true patriot, traveling the side roads and visiting the forgotten parts of America in order to provide an honest image through that which is often intentionally avoided or ignored.

My America is supported in part by Dr. Justin & Ellie Cormack, Brenda & Glenn Picquet, Michaela & Holland Smith and The Moody Foundation.