Brad Feuerhelm is a writer, collector, dealer, curator and not to mention artist of photography. Feuerhelm has been creating his own work and collecting others since he started art school in 1996. Now he is the Managing Editor at American Suburb X, and soon to be owner of a gallery in Athens said to open in 2017. His first book of personal work was published in 2012 with Self Publish, Be Happy. His most recent book, “Goodbye America” is a collection of altered sides showcasing the so called “American Dream”
“Good Bye America” is a collection of slides that Feuerhelm damaged himself. Smashing the slides with a hammer; some images were deliberately distorted at first strike to create exaggerated smiles or altered eyes. He selected the pieces from his archive of 5000 to 6000 “esoteric and bizzare" slides.
The concept behind “ Good Bye America” was to show the truth behind the masked American life. Altering the image of the classic fast food restaurants, nuclear families, and American pastimes such as television and cheerleading. Feuerhelm expressed, “I am looking very much at the idea of iconoclasm at present and wanted to distort the notion of individuality and the American Dream.”
Oddly coinciding with the “Make America Great Again” movement from Donald Trump and the shocking results of the recent Presidential Election; the release of this book could not have had better timing. When asked about Feuerhelm’s opinion about the election he said “I knew either way that the result would be horrific”. “Goodbye America” is shedding light to the cracks of the sought after “ American Dream”