Descansos: Roadside Memorials of the Southwest
Descansos: Roadside Memorials of the Southwest is a photographic exploration of grief, remembrance, and public space across the American Southwest. These roadside memorials, known in Spanish as "descansos," or "resting places" mark the sites where lives were abruptly lost. Each cross, flower, stuffed animal, or personal artifact speaks to the love left behind and the stories we might never fully know.
This project seeks to honor both the named and the nameless, documenting memorials across Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and beyond. Some are formal, others handmade; all are expressions of mourning, memory, and often, a quiet plea for awareness. As a photographer deeply rooted in the Southwest, I approach these sites with reverence bearing witness to the sacred and often-overlooked spaces where life and death intersect along our roadways.
Through this work, I aim not only to document these tributes, but to spark conversation around road safety, loss, and how we publicly memorialize the dead. This project blends visual storytelling with public awareness, offering a meditation on the fragility of life and the resilience of love.
