Cody Mathews | "Lowcountry By Land, Air, & Sea" | July 12th — August 31st | Opening Reception: July 18th 5:30pm — 8:30pm

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Public Works Art Center

Public Works Art Center

Cody Mathews | "Lowcountry By Land, Air, & Sea" | July 12th — August 31st | Opening Reception: July 18th 5:30pm — 8:30pm

Growing up I spent hours in my room each month scouring surf magazines. I’d study turns, styles, and insight from surfers in each spread. They were often filled with elite and professional surfers in picture perfect reef passes and beach breaks, surrounded by exotic but unnamed vistas. Discovery was half of the fun as you put together clues and hints about where perfection might lie. As soon as my wife and I moved to Charleston, I began exploring the beaches nearby for any and all potential surf. On weekends, we began taking our dog (now dogs) on adventures along the coast and marshlands that surrounded the area. As we surveyed more of the Lowcountry, it quickly became apparent how much we truly lived with the water here, not just near it.

It amazes me that, in a world with billions of people, you can often still find solitude and space to yourself here. In my surf photography, the low, flat beaches allow me to isolate surfers and often share their point of view right above the waterline. The few spots of elevation that exist further spotlight Charleston’s unique geography with large stretches of unbroken land and water. When you aren’t viewing the city by foot another world opens up. Short swims or boat rides often lead to days of feeling like a desert castaway or early explorer. The coast is littered with abandoned forts and entrenched shipwrecks. Looking down at the rivers, marshes, and waterways from above readily makes it apparent how nature drives things differently when compared to the orderly and neat urban development of downtown; often jamming straight lines through mazes of salt and reeds.

Being able to spotlight the palms, wetlands, wildlife, and currents of the Charleston area while keeping its surfers, swimmers, and beachgoers anonymous is an exciting new way to bring life to what made those pages so magical to me. My goal in picking up a camera is to inspire curiosity and discovery by focusing on what’s around us when we search. You can ask me where each photo was taken, but I’d rather you go find it.