ARTIST STATEMENT
As someone who left the church as a young adult, I have seen firsthand its inability to retain youth members as they grow up and begin to make their own choices. In return, the church has resorted to alternative methods to recruit new members, and re-engage old ones. Masked as trendy community building events, these concerts, retreats, and get-togethers are cleverly marketed and curated to appeal to young people desperately craving community. But they are not just casual get-togethers with friends. There is always some sort of catch – a group prayer before everyone leaves, subtle questions about if you have a “faith community”, and asking for your number – only to text you about coming to church. This phony, surface-level friendship, is nothing more than a desperate attempt to have one more body in a seat, and one more hand in the offering bowl on Sunday.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Lucy VanRegenmorter is a Chicago-based photographer and writer. She moved to the city after studying photojournalism at Michigan State University. Her love for photography started at 16, when she began borrowing her father’s camera to go out and shoot. She is inspired by the diverse yet interconnected array of human experiences. She is excited to be in Chicago, surrounded by inspiration, opportunity, creativity, and culture.
© Lucy VanRegenmorter