Epiphany Knedler
MFA ’20 Photography
Epiphany Knedler is an archiver of American life. Growing up in Vermillion, South Dakota, she finds comfort in Midwestern aesthetics and small-town familiarity. She graduated from the University of South Dakota with a BFA in Fine Arts with an emphasis in Photography and a BA in Political Science. She strives to find quiet yet eccentric moments in familiar environments. She is currently based in Greenville, North Carolina, pursuing an MFA in Photography at East Carolina University. Her work has recently been exhibited with the North Carolina Museum of Art, CAM Raleigh, and Lenscratch. You can view her work at epiphanyknedler.com.
Wish You Were Here
Wish You Were Here: Legends of the Great Plains examines the ways the Great Plains romanticizes its region using legends, folklore, and histories. This history is often commodified through roadside attractions and monuments where tourists can enter these places, take part in photo-ops, and buy souvenirs as proof of the experience and inclusion in this part of history. The Great Plains is full of legends rooted in truth, from the infamous Buffalo Bill in the Wild West to the spirits of the Badlands, but the stories overshadow some grim truths of Midwestern history. These stories become a sense of pride and comfort for the local population, who use iconography to perpetuate the ideas of manifest destiny and the Wild West. With awareness of this history, the authenticity of these spaces as well as their interpretations is put into question.
Wish You Were Here, 2020
installation at the Wellington B. Gray Gallery Special Collections
an homage to museums and gift shops at roadside attractions
25x25x8 ft
The Badlands, 2020
adhesive vinyl inkjet print
25×8 ft
Selfies at Mount Rushmore with Viewfinders, 2020
adhesive vinyl inkjet print, viewfinders and reels
14x2x8 ft
Viewfinders with Reels, 2020
found viewfinders with handmade reels containing images from the themed series,
including locations like the Badlands and Mount Rushmore,
but also iconographic symbols like cowboys or fiberglass animals.
3x1x1 ft
Onlookers at the Unfinished Crazy Horse Monument with Viewfinders, 2020
Viewers can interact with this work by sitting on the bench
and looking out at Crazy Horse along with the tourists.
adhesive vinyl inkjet print, viewfinders, reels, and bench
14x6x8 ft
Corn Palace Gift Shop, 2020
These souvenirs allow the viewers to interact within the Corn Palace,
where they can view and purchase souvenirs.
adhesive vinyl inkjet print, keychains, and buttons on swivel rack
14x4x8 ft
The Archive, 2020
These images are from the series Wish You Were Here.
Each of the frames was found in a second-hand store.
This display references the historic displays at Wall Drug.
second-hand frames with archival inkjet prints
20x1x8 ft
Postcard Display, 2020
Each of these postcards features images from the series.
A part of each image is hand embroidered. These were sent from South Dakota
to friends in North Carolina, representing the travel aspect of the road trip
and traditional means of communication during vacations.
inkjet postcards with thread
6x4x8 ft
The Archive, 2020
second-hand frames with archival inkjet prints
6x4x8 ft
Ice Cream Confectioners, 2019
archival inkjet print
20×30 ft
Onlookers at the Unfinished Crazy Horse Memorial, 2019
archival inkjet print
20×30 ft
Thesis Committee
Angela Wells, MFA
Daniel Kariko, MFA
Dan Elliott, MFA
Josh Raftery, MFA
Knedler Pirate Profile
socialdistancegallery
the dorecollective
dekunumag
Critical Mass | Photolucida
epiphanyknedler.com