animal companions
This began some time ago, in Santa Fe, when I first met the Chicagraphers. I was already a fan of much of their work, but it was the first time that I saw Brian Ulrich's terrific break room photographs. For those of you unfamiliar with this body of work I highly suggest visiting Brian's site and checking it out.
As telling and strange some of the backrooms that Brian documents are, I must say that the one I dine in every day will win the award as the most surreal. By lunch time I am feeling the need to get away from the computer and have a quiet break with my headphones and a book, so I visit the lesser used break room, where I can evade co-worker conversation for an hour. It seems that the four surprisingly large elk heads with their disassembled antlers are not the most appetizing company. At least when someone does join me, much of the conversation will be my hypothetical musings from the animals, or their concentrated ignoring of the beasts by means of daytime soaps.
Someday I think Brian will make fine use of this room, and then I will get to reminisce every time I visit his work. I should mention that there is one employee less disturbed than me, who actually naps in the room next door, which is a virtual animal kingdom of living death.