Between 1980 and 1981, while local photographer Lisa Barlow was a student at Yale, she
spent time in Waterbury, Connecticut – also known as Holy Land USA. As the name implies, Waterbury is a devout Christian town complete with a miniature Jerusalem featuring scenes from the Bible and biblical quotations engraved in cement. Lisa shot a series of photographs that were forgotten in the decades that followed only to be rediscovered when the artist spent time with her archive during the Covid pandemic. Nearly 45 years later, Slate Gray Gallery is honored to present a selection of these photographs.
‘Before long, it was more than a fascination with Holy Land that kept luring me back to Waterbury. It was the people who captured my attention, my imagination and eventually, my love. This is the story of that year in pictures.’
– Lisa Barlow
‘Barlow’s images of Waterbury and its uniquely American idiosyncrasies are enthused with a rare empathy combined with a visual complexity that continues to unfold with each viewing.’
- STANLEY / BARKER, publisher of "Holy Land USA," September 2024
