Florida. The sunshine state. The political swing-state. The swampland paradise. The tourist fantasy. The sub-tropical fever dream. The place where image and reality become inseparable. Anastasia Samoylova's award winning new series paints a multi-layered picture of this state with subtle references to its complex history. What is happening in the extremes of Florida is happening across the country.

'Samoylova's inventive use of colours and her skilful compositions convey ambiguity – the beauty yet also vulgarity of life in Florida. Each of her photographs tell a layered story: her attentive, eye effortlessly crops complex narratives in single frames and leaves the observer with both, the urge to connect the subject matter with their own personal experience and the longing to dive deep into collective knowledge and the history of this place–however short it may be. ' Ulrike Heine in her catalogue essay

A book of the work has just been published by Steidl.

Press release courtesy Galerie—Peter—Sillem.