Art Portfolio​

Investigating the intersection of place, memory, and transformation through lens-based storytelling.

Artist Statement

My work investigates the intersection of place, memory, and transformation. From early roots in painting and newspaper comic strips (2003-2020), my photographic voice didn’t emerge until the 2020 pandemic, transforming street documentation into the groundbreaking “BTNTRX” (Beaten Tracks) project—a critical examination of Atlanta’s railroad history and its relationship with race.

My subsequent project, “WYST” (When You See Them), captured intimate portraits of Generation X African-American men, revealing overlooked narratives during a period of heightened social consciousness. My current work, “Vanishing Point,” launched in 2022, captures the profound transformation of metropolitan Atlanta through atmospheric photography in fog, dusk, and storms to utilize natural phenomena as both visual signature and metaphor for the South’s shifting cultural landscape.

In 2023, I expanded into documentary filmmaking, collaborating with acclaimed artist Marryam Moma to document her “ICONoclasts” exhibition. Through my quarterly publication “ZURI SHOT ME” and continued lens-based exploration, I pioneer visual storytelling that reveals the creative processes behind cultural transformation.

zuri stanback studio july 2023
2022 – Present

Vanishing Point

Fine art photography series documenting neighborhoods east of downtown Atlanta, shot during heavy fog in early morning light. Printed on metal with LED lighting to reflect urban environments, featuring panoramic format and triptychs that document rapid urban transformation and gentrification.