Monopoly

Publisherself-produced prototype
PhotographerMike Osborne
EditorMike Osborne
Date of PublicationMay 2018
Location of PublicationAustin, Texas
PrizeFinalist in Prototype / Documentary
Entry Description

Monopoly is set in Atlantic City, whose streets were the origin of the board game's iconic properties. Mapping the city photographically, the work converts the game's abstract realm into images of actual places: vacant lots, aging homes, and gargantuan hotels. My time in AC coincided with the gaming economy's collapse and the political ascent of Donald Trump. Long synonymous with the city, Trump was a has-been whose brand was attached to several struggling resorts when I began the work. In fall 2016, just three weeks before the election, the last casino bearing his name closed its doors.