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Mitch Epstein uncovers the dark secrets of American power production

Last updated: April 16, 2025
Photography
Activist art, Art in Alabama, Art in Biloxi, Art in Dauphin Island, Art in Las Vegas, Art in Nebraska, Art in Texas, Artworks & exhibitions in California, Mitch Epstein, New Orleans Museum of Art, Social realism, Visual documentation
4 min read
Mitch Epstein - Amos Coal Power Plant, Raymond City, West Virginia 2004
1 Mitch Epstein – Amos Coal Power Plant, Raymond City, West Virginia, 2004
    • 1.American Power by Mitch Epstein
    • 2.What Mitch Epstein discovered during his trips
    • 3.Residents paid to never return
    • 4.The police tried to stop Epstein
    • 5.Video: Mitch Epstein about American Power, 2013
    • 6.Video: Mitch Epstein about American Power, 2011
    • 7.The images show different struggles
    • 8.Conclusion
    • 9.American Power photos

American Power by Mitch Epstein

Photographer Mitch Epstein 1 has taken part of his time to bring light into the social and moral fabric of the United States. One of the works that has earned him a lot of praise is his American Power project. In American Power, Mitch travels through America to bring images of how America is being powered. He was inspired by the evacuation of an environmentally contaminated town in Ohio between 2003 and 2008, which messed up the lives of the former inhabitants of the city.

What Mitch Epstein discovered during his trips

With his camera, he documents most of the largest energy ‘hot spots.’ These were areas where the wind, solar, hydroelectric, nuclear, and fossil fuel are used to produce power. He was surprised to find more contamination. He faced a lot of challenges on the way, starting with homeland security obstacles to gain access to these areas, hardened corporate bureaucracy and much more. He did not give up and finally brought light to the struggles, the challenges, and the success that comes with the power.

Residents paid to never return

In the case of the Ohio town, residents were paid a lump sum to never return to their homeland. They were also to never complain in the media or go to court if the contamination made them sick. Surprisingly, many other areas had similar instances. Much of the relationship between the communities around the power stations and the power station was sad.

The police tried to stop Epstein

In his book, Mitch concludes that the corporate law seems to supersede the constitutional law. In fact, at some point, an FBI agent told him he would have already been shot were he a Muslim. Police, on many occasions, prevented or tried to damage the images he had taken. He also took notice of exploitation and siphoning of water resources to feed lavish golf courses, casinos, and hotels, especially in Las Vegas, such that there was not enough water for everyone else.

Video: Mitch Epstein about American Power, 2013

YouTube video
10 min 52 sec

Video: Mitch Epstein about American Power, 2011

YouTube video
58 min 23 sec

The images show different struggles

He took the images in surprisingly great detail. He showed the struggles of the people with life around the power plants, the agony from contamination, and the connection between power production and politics. The widescreen scope prints also show the brutal force of the forces of nature, such as Hurricane Katrina. One of the images, called Biloxi, Mississippi, 2005, shows a home totally damaged by the hurricane and a couple praying by the side, under a tree where the little of the dirty clothes that were left are hung.

Conclusion

Mitch Epstein American Power book is something everyone should look at to understand the intrigues of powering America.

American Power photos

Mitch Epstein - Amos Coal Power Plant III, West Virginia, 2007
2 Mitch Epstein – Amos Coal Power Plant III, West Virginia, 2007
Mitch Epstein - Snyder, Texas, 2005
3 Mitch Epstein – Snyder, Texas, 2005
Mitch Epstein - Poca High School and Amos Coal Power Plant, West Virginia, 2004
4 Mitch Epstein – Poca High School and Amos Coal Power Plant, West Virginia, 2004
Mitch Epstein - Omaha, Nebraska, 2008
5 Mitch Epstein – Omaha, Nebraska, 2008
Mitch Epstein - Ocean Warwick Oil Platform, Dauphin Island, Alabama, 2005
6 Mitch Epstein – Ocean Warwick Oil Platform, Dauphin Island, Alabama, 2005
Mitch Epstein - New Orleans Museum of Art, Louisiana II, 2005
7 Mitch Epstein – New Orleans Museum of Art, Louisiana II, 2005
Mitch Epstein - Martha Murphy and Charlie Biggs, Pass Christian, Mississippi, 2005
8 Mitch Epstein – Martha Murphy and Charlie Biggs, Pass Christian, Mississippi, 2005
Mitch Epstein - Las Vegas, Nevada, 2007
9 Mitch Epstein – Las Vegas, Nevada, 2007
Mitch Epstein - Kern River Oil Field, Oildale, California, 2007
10 Mitch Epstein – Kern River Oil Field, Oildale, California, 2007
Mitch Epstein - Iowa 80 Truckstop, Walcott, Iowa, 2008
11 Mitch Epstein – Iowa 80 Truckstop, Walcott, Iowa, 2008
Mitch Epstein - Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, Nevada:Arizona, 2007
12 Mitch Epstein – Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, Nevada/Arizona, 2007
Mitch Epstein - Chevron Oil Refinery, Point Richmond, California, 2005
13 Mitch Epstein – Chevron Oil Refinery, Point Richmond, California, 2005
Mitch Epstein - Gillette, Wyoming, 2008
14 Mitch Epstein – Gillette, Wyoming, 2008
Mitch Epstein - Gavin Coal Power Plant, Cheshire, Ohio, 2003
15 Mitch Epstein – Gavin Coal Power Plant, Cheshire, Ohio, 2003
Mitch Epstein - Chalmette Oil Refinery, New Orleans Louisiana II, 2007
16 Mitch Epstein – Chalmette Oil Refinery, New Orleans Louisiana II, 2007
Mitch Epstein - Century Wind Project, Blairsburg, Iowa, 2008
17 Mitch Epstein – Century Wind Project, Blairsburg, Iowa, 2008
Mitch Epstein - BP Carson Refinery, California, 2007
18 Mitch Epstein – BP Carson Refinery, California, 2007
Mitch Epstein - Biloxi, Mississippi, 2005
19 Mitch Epstein – Biloxi, Mississippi, 2005

All images by Mitch Epstein unless otherwise noted.

Citation

Footnotes

1. https://publicdelivery.org/tag/mitch-epstein/
1. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Amos-Coal-Power-Plant-Raymond-City-West-Virginia-2004.jpg ↩
2. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Amos-Coal-Power-Plant-III-West-Virginia-2007.jpg ↩
3. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Snyder-Texas-2005.jpg ↩
4. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Poca-High-School-and-Amos-Coal-Power-Plant-West-Virginia-2004.jpg ↩
5. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Omaha-Nebraska-2008.jpg ↩
6. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Ocean-Warwick-Oil-Platform-Dauphin-Island-Alabama-2005.jpg ↩
7. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-New-Orleans-Museum-of-Art-Louisiana-II-2005.jpg ↩
8. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Martha-Murphy-and-Charlie-Biggs-Pass-Christian-Mississippi-2005.jpg ↩
9. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Las-Vegas-Nevada-2007.jpg ↩
10. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Kern-River-Oil-Field-Oildale-California-2007.jpg ↩
11. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Iowa-80-Truckstop-Walcott-Iowa-2008.jpg ↩
12. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Hoover-Dam-and-Lake-Mead-NevadaArizona-2007.jpg ↩
13. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-hevron-Oil-Refinery-Point-Richmond-California-2005.jpg ↩
14. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Gillette-Wyoming-2008.jpg ↩
15. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Gavin-Coal-Power-Plant-Cheshire-Ohio-2003.jpg ↩
16. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Chalmette-Oil-Refinery-New-Orleans-Louisiana-II-2007.jpg ↩
17. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Century-Wind-Project-Blairsburg-Iowa-2008.jpg ↩
18. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-BP-Carson-Refinery-California-2007.jpg ↩
19. https://publicdelivery.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mitch-Epstein-Biloxi-Mississippi-2005.jpg ↩
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