A large sum of money owed can seem strangely incorporeal--it may weigh heavily while still feeling somehow abstract, unreal. Since shame accrues to debt as inexorably as interest, many people don't like to talk about the topic, rendering it even less visible. . . A good deal of the power in the new book The Debt Project: 99 Portraits Across America by the photographer Brittany M. Powell, comes from a kind of transgressive mundaneness. Powell set about photographing ninety-nine Americans who owe money (she ended up with a few more, including herself, but started with that figure as a reference to the slogan 'We are the ninety-nine per cent') and asked them to handwrite accompanying text about how much they owe, and to whom.
--New Yorker
10 Riveting Photo Series That Are Helping to Make the World a Better Place: The inspiration behind these dramatic images will give you chills. Thanks to camera phones and social media, it seems like everyone fancies themselves an amateur photographer these days. Whether it's sharing a new recipe or showing off a new pair of shoes, picture-taking has never been more popular. But these professional photographers are using their talents for something a bit more profound. Well aware of the power of a photo, they're hoping to make the world a better place for veterans, mothers, pets and more--one picture at a time. If there's one thing no one likes, it's debt. After filing for bankruptcy in 2012, photographer Brittany Powell took a deeper look at the role of debt in our society. She created The Debt Project, a photo series that features portraits of debt-laden people in their homes, and the stories behind their hefty dues. Powell wants to open up the conversation of this highly stigmatized issue, and her goal is to photograph 99 people in the U.S. She also plans on publishing a book that details their stories.
--Woman's Day
Powell allows her photographs to speak for themselves, illustrating the strife faced by many who pursued their dreams only to end up faced with insurmountable financial obligations. As one contributor laments, 'I wake up everyday [sic] and try to be a person. To afford to be a person. Who feels like me. I am trying on empty.' Given the diversity of circumstances as well as levels of debt, this artistic project will resonate with any American who faces debt and any of the other injustices involved with income inequality. A moving, humanitarian expose on the isolation and despair of financial hardship.
--Kirkus Reviews
New ways of seeing art with an eye toward diversity and inclusivity are among this season's themes. . . Based on the online photo series that Powell began after she filed for bankruptcy for her photography business, this book brings together portraits taken in each subject's home, surrounded by all their belongings, how much they owe, and the story behind the numbers.
--Publishers Weekly
The Debt Project reveals the human faces and stories behind the numbers and statistics. What does debt look like? It is not just a number on a past-due notice. Debt looks like a human being. It looks like a mother taking out a title loan on her car, a child denied nourishment because her parents owe the school 'lunch debt,' a senior citizen having their tax returns garnished to settle a judgement, a patient jailed because they can't pay their hospital bill. . . [Powell] uses her camera to challenge preconceptions. The subjects featured in this book have a grace and dignity. They are in their homes, sometimes looking into the lens but often gazing toward the distance. They do not appear guilty or repentant, but honest, sympathetic, and unashamed. This is vital, because for centuries debtors were regarded as criminals who could be locked away and denied their basic democratic rights. Debtors, it was believed, deserved to be punished, a dehumanizing attitude that lingers on today. . . I hope Powell's powerful and empowering photographs will give more people the courage to do so.
--Astra Taylor (from the foreword)