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a man in a gray suit seated in a red chair is obscured by weeds bursting through a window
“My Brain Took an Extended Vacation.” All images courtesy of Ben Zank, shared with permission

My Brain Took an Extended Vacation: Ben Zank Playfully Twists the Banal

Grace Ebert

When words can’t quite sum up a feeling, Ben Zank (previously) leans into a bizarre visual language. The New York-based photographer creates strange situations in which subjects find themselves subsumed by topiaries and shrubs or buttoned up with structural supports.

Captured in non-discernable locations, Zank’s images turn the banal into the surreal, while his witty titles—”Failed Columnist” and “Cloudy with a Chance of Despair”—amplify his penchant for humor.

Earlier this year, Zank published a monograph titled Nothing to See Here, which is available from Aliens in Residence. You can find more of his work on Instagram.

“Hot Local Landscapers Near You”
a man in a suit has his jacket buttoned around a yellow post
“Failed Columnist”
a man in a green suit is smoking while his head is in a bush
“Anxiety Takes a Holiday”
a man in a green suit has his jacket buttoned around a white post
“Half a Man”
a man in a tan suit lies in puffy white batting to conceal his face
“Cloudy with a Chance of Despair”

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