One Sun, One Shadow is a sweeping photographic portrayal of the American South. Photographer Shane Lavalette, a native Vermonter, approached his documentation of the South through the lens of the region’s traditional music. Echoes of bluegrass, country, gospel, rock’n’roll, and the blues emerge as oral histories in the artist’s images. Lavalette’s focus on music as storytelling instills an idyllic quality in his photographs that offers perspective on the sight, sound, and feelings of a particular place and time. 

The resulting photographs are a genuine connection to a region and its people. One Sun, One Shadow offers insight into the character of the contemporary South, nods to its traditions, and takes us on a lyrical journey through a landscape that in many ways does not feel so unfamiliar from our own.

One Sun, One Shadow was originally commissioned by the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia. The artist would like to thank Light Work Lab for their support on this project.