This project is an inquiry into the state of American democracy, its problems and pitfalls, but also its promise. More than that, it is a portrait of the United States, its cities, beautiful landscapes, and its people.
In this project, we do the following:
- Talk and listen to Americans from all walks of life about the current situation and ask them why they believe so many people in their country, and in the West in general, are currently frustrated and discontent with the political system.
- Create a sense of the actual people we have talked to and make their opinions, beliefs, fears, and hopes relatable via the use of photographs and extended interviews.
- Start a conversation about the important issues of our time that breaks with the increasingly polarizing practice of name-calling, undifferentiated accusations, and antagonizing polemic on social media.
- Portray a country, which has its harsh and unforgiving places, but which is, first and foremost, a land of stunning beauty, through a photographic journey from the East to the West Coast.
- Bring people, Americans or not, back together and make them think about what we share, instead of what divides us.
- Put all of this in a book that you will love, share, and which will make a difference in your life.
This map shows the route we followed for two months on our road trip through the United States in the summer of 2018. During this time, we traveled more than 6,300 miles, or 10,000 kilometers, conducted 45 interviews, shot more than 50,000 photos, and recorded over 400 video clips.