{"id":447907,"date":"2025-01-07T09:27:48","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T15:27:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/?p=447907"},"modified":"2025-01-07T09:50:26","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T15:50:26","slug":"richard-sharum-spina-americana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2025\/01\/richard-sharum-spina-americana\/","title":{"rendered":"Traveling Middle America, Richard Sharum Reaches for the Heart of the Heartland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-5 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-12.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a black and white photo of three young girls in bathing suits standing in front of a wodoen stage with an american flag in background\" style=\"object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-12.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-12-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-12-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-12-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-12-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two Sisters and a Cousin, Macksville, Kansas, June 19, 2021. All images \u00a9 Richard Sharum, courtesy of GOST Books, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Traveling Middle America, Richard Sharum Reaches for the Heart of the Heartland<\/h1>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2025-01-07T09:27:48-06:00\">January 7, 2025<\/time><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-books\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/books\/\" rel=\"tag\">Books<\/a><a class=\"category-photography\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/photography\/\" rel=\"tag\">Photography<\/a><a class=\"category-social-issues\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/social-issues\/\" rel=\"tag\">Social Issues<\/a><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/gebert\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Grace Ebert<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-3 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\"><li style=\"color: #1c1e0d; \" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2025%2F01%2Frichard-sharum-spina-americana%2F&#038;title=Traveling%20Middle%20America%2C%20Richard%20Sharum%20Reaches%20for%20the%20Heart%20of%20the%20Heartland\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\">\n\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \">\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n\n\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d; \" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-pinterest has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?&#038;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2025%2F01%2Frichard-sharum-spina-americana%2F&#038;description=Traveling%20Middle%20America%2C%20Richard%20Sharum%20Reaches%20for%20the%20Heart%20of%20the%20Heartland&#038;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F01%2Fspina-12-960x640.jpg\" aria-label=\"Pin\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\">\n\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12.289,2C6.617,2,3.606,5.648,3.606,9.622c0,1.846,1.025,4.146,2.666,4.878c0.25,0.111,0.381,0.063,0.439-0.169 c0.044-0.175,0.267-1.029,0.365-1.428c0.032-0.128,0.017-0.237-0.091-0.362C6.445,11.911,6.01,10.75,6.01,9.668 c0-2.777,2.194-5.464,5.933-5.464c3.23,0,5.49,2.108,5.49,5.122c0,3.407-1.794,5.768-4.13,5.768c-1.291,0-2.257-1.021-1.948-2.277 c0.372-1.495,1.089-3.112,1.089-4.191c0-0.967-0.542-1.775-1.663-1.775c-1.319,0-2.379,1.309-2.379,3.059 c0,1.115,0.394,1.869,0.394,1.869s-1.302,5.279-1.54,6.261c-0.405,1.666,0.053,4.368,0.094,4.604 c0.021,0.126,0.167,0.169,0.25,0.063c0.129-0.165,1.699-2.419,2.142-4.051c0.158-0.59,0.817-2.995,0.817-2.995 c0.43,0.784,1.681,1.446,3.013,1.446c3.963,0,6.822-3.494,6.822-7.833C20.394,5.112,16.849,2,12.289,2\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \">\n\t\t\tPin\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n\n\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d; \" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"mailto:?subject=Traveling%20Middle%20America%2C%20Richard%20Sharum%20Reaches%20for%20the%20Heart%20of%20the%20Heartland&#038;body=Traveling%20Middle%20America%2C%20Richard%20Sharum%20Reaches%20for%20the%20Heart%20of%20the%20Heartland%20&mdash;%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2025%2F01%2Frichard-sharum-spina-americana%2F\" aria-label=\"Email\"  class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\">\n\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M20,4H4C2.895,4,2,4.895,2,6v12c0,1.105,0.895,2,2,2h16c1.105,0,2-0.895,2-2V6C22,4.895,21.105,4,20,4z M20,8.236l-8,4.882 L4,8.236V6h16V8.236z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \">\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"447907\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\" style=\"\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\" style=\"\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>What characteristics define a contemporary American? Amid an increasingly polarized political and cultural landscape, photographer <a href=\"https:\/\/richardsharum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Richard Sharum<\/a> traveled across America&#8217;s &#8220;spine&#8221; to suss out the common threads and seemingly insurmountable disparities of a fractured nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For three years, Sharum traversed a lengthy stretch between the Canadian and Mexican borders. From North Dakota to Kansas to Texas, he documented the lives of more than 4,000 people in 14,000-plus images, creating a snapshot of a region that&#8217;s historically been overlooked. &#8220;I knew that in order for me to find out what America is, I needed to travel its central corridor and see it for myself,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-8-960x1440.jpg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of a farmer in a cowboy hat and flannel shirt holding a head of cabbage in a field\" class=\"wp-image-447913\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-8-960x1440.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-8-640x960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-8-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-8-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-8-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-8-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harvester, Pearsall, Texas, March 24, 2021 <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In his new book, <em>Spina Americana<\/em>, a portrait of a nation emerges in bold black and white. On frozen water in Hemand, North Dakota, a fisherman shows off his recently speared Nothern Pike. In O&#8217;Neill, Nebraska, an older woman cradles a bowling ball in front of wood paneling, and two teenagers steel away from baseball practice in Tolar, Texas, to pose for Sharum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Delineated by location and an area often described as &#8220;flyover country,&#8221; the photos focus largely on the working class. Manual labor is prominent throughout the series, which features migrant workers picking oregano, a firefighter, and a cotton candy vendor. Whereas the working class in this region is often omitted from or patronized within pop culture and political conversations, Sharum portrays each person with reverence and a desire to emphasize a shared humanity. The lack of color similarly draws attention to the material conditions and expressions of the subjects. He adds: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>This term, flyover country, was one I\u2019d heard my entire life but had never really thought about when it came to the condescension it implied. I felt that this part of our country had been ignored politically, socially, and culturally for decades, with its obscurity creating&nbsp;a subtle but consequential vacuum that had implicitly added fuel to our national divisions. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Raised in Corpus Christi, Sharum is now based in Corning, New York. <em>Spina Americana<\/em> is published by GOST Books and available on <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/96\/9781915423511\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bookshop<\/a>. Find more of his work on <a href=\"https:\/\/richardsharum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">his website<\/a>. (via <a href=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/2025\/01\/05\/photographer-documents-overlooked-communities-in-americas-heartland-spina-americana-richard-sharum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PetaPixel<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sharum-1-960x681.jpg\" alt=\"an open book spread with a black and white photo of cowboys holding their hats over their hearts\" class=\"wp-image-447988\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sharum-1-960x681.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sharum-1-640x454.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sharum-1-768x544.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sharum-1.jpg 1199w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-2-960x1440.jpg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of a fisherman holding a speared fish on an icy body of water\" class=\"wp-image-447908\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-2-960x1440.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-2-640x960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-2-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-2-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-2-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ice Fisherman with Fresh Northern Pike, Hemand, North Dakota, March 2, 2022&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-3-960x640.jpg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of a person walking along a fence\" class=\"wp-image-447909\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-3-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-3-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-3.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Storm Chaser, Burlington, Oklahoma, May 15, 2022&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-5-960x1440.jpg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of a firefighter in a burning field\" class=\"wp-image-447910\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-5-960x1440.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-5-640x960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-5-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-5-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-5-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-5-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Firetech with Grassfire, Huntsville, Kansas, May 18, 2022&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-6-960x1440.jpg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of a teenage girl wearing an apron holding a giant stick of cotton candy\" class=\"wp-image-447911\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-6-960x1440.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-6-640x960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-6-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-6-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-6-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-6-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cotton Candy Vendor, Lake Andes, South Dakota, June 3, 2023&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-7-960x640.jpg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of migrant workers harvesting a field\" class=\"wp-image-447912\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-7-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-7-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-7-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-7-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-7.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Migrant Laborers Picking Oregano, Edinburg, Texas, November 4, 2022&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-9-960x1440.jpg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of an older woman posing with a black bowling ball in front of wood paneling\" class=\"wp-image-447914\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-9-960x1440.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-9-640x960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-9-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-9-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-9-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-9-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bowler, O\u2019Neill, Nebraska, December 16, 2021<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"699\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sharum-2-960x699.jpg\" alt=\"an open book spread with two black and white portraits of men\" class=\"wp-image-447989\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sharum-2-960x699.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sharum-2-640x466.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sharum-2-768x559.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sharum-2.jpg 1167w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-10-960x1440.jpg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of two handcuffed hadns sticking through a door in a wall \" class=\"wp-image-447915\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-10-960x1440.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-10-640x960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-10-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-10-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-10-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-10-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Isolation Cell, JRCC, Jamestown, North Dakota, March 4, 2022&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-13-960x640.jpg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of a mother and daughter in long traditional dresses standing on a wood porch\" class=\"wp-image-447918\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-13-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-13-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-13.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mennonite Sisters, Partridge, Kansas, June 20, 2021<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-15-960x1440.jpg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of two young male baseball players\" class=\"wp-image-447920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-15-960x1440.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-15-640x960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-15-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/spina-15-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, 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