Behind the Shot
When trailer parks first opened in the U.S. in the 1920s, they were an upscale concept for the wealthy traveler who slept in their own trailer during long automobile trips. By the 1950s, mobile home parks were an accepted lifestyle, even for those with an elevated income and educational status. Movies from the 1960s show the parks as chic and glamorous.
Claudio Santini’s use of pastel colors in this digital collage evokes nostalgia for this ’50s and ’60s way of life. “I consider trailers an iconic form of dwelling in the American culture,” he says. “I reduced this image to its essential lines, showing the diversity of the design of the two old trailers by putting them extremely close to each other. I believe it represents perfectly the American mobile life typical of this country.”
Claudio took this photo in a San Diego mobile home park. The innovative format of his art collages presents new perspectives on traditional subjects and compositions. This print represents a slice of the American lifestyle in an imaginative, abstract and decorative way.