Alex Leme

Intrigued by the continuing disappearance of rural towns in America, Brazilian-born photographer Alex Leme captured the mood of Cotton Plant, a small town in rural northeast Arkansas. What once was a relatively thriving center and one of the fastest growing communities in eastern Arkansas is now a town littered with ghost factories, abandoned schools and the carcasses of crumbling buildings. The sense of purpose that once accompanied steady, meaningful work has long since vanished. Today the small-town atmosphere, with its slow pace and tightly knit communities that so much defined rural America, is strongly undermined by growing isolation and forced idleness. Leme’s images of Cotton Plant landscapes and people subtly convey a nearly threatening stillness and quietly question the future of a forgotten America. This exhibition was organized by Foto+Synthesis.