Christopher Polentz/ The Promised Land

Inspired by the golden age of the traveling carnival (1870-1930), with its social outcasts of carny folk, sideshow freaks-and-geeks, Chris Polentz has endeavored to re-represent that unwanted slice of society through the innocence of children.

These children represent vulnerability, the inherent need to be wanted and loved without a thought as to “why?”

“I would like my images to nurture compassion for the differences within us all. Our need for acceptability and fitting in. But most of all the need to be valued and loved. My images of children are faultless individuals; possessing obvious imperfections and undesirable qualities, social outcasts, different, through no fault of their own, but nonetheless unwanted and made to feel unnecessary.

“It is through this menagerie of traveling “human oddities” they find refuge, acceptance, a place where they not only fit in but are understood and loved . . . THE PROMISED LAND.”

– Christopher Polentz