Intermission is a photographic observation of the iconic environments America has called Drive-ins for over a half century. These outdoor movie theaters embody a classic American movie-going tradition that has lasted for decades and engendered memories for thousands of people. By focusing on the last remaining Drive-ins of Arizona, “Intermission” exhibits scenes that have evolved over time and continue to symbolize an iconic landscape of American automobile culture, family experience, cinema history, and classic teenage romance.
Of the more than 5,000 drive-in theaters that operated in the US during the 1950’s, only an estimated 350 remain. Many of these once thriving Drive-ins have closed down due to the advancement of new technologies, suburban development, corporate influence, and change in American values. Arizona at one time had close to 50 Drive-in movie theaters; today only 2 remain in business. Although the number of locations has decreased significantly, Arizona’s Drive-in theaters continue to embrace an irrefutable timeless appeal, providing nostalgic memories and creating opportunities for unique experiences.
This photographic endeavor observes the remnants of people’s personal encounters with the outdoor theater, documenting both their disengagement from as well as their interaction with the environment. As night turns to day, and the Drive-in landscape stands empty, sunlight reveals the altered effects that the absence and presence of people’s continued occupation and use of the place create. Evidence of the change in awareness of a tradition suspended in time becomes apparent while traces depicting the tension between timelessness and evolutionary change are revealed. “Intermission” explores what happens between shows and symbolizes the physical appearance, the eternal psychological embodiment and the ever-changing character of the iconic American Drive-in.
