Chris Aluka Berry grew up among the pine trees and cotton fields of rural South Carolina. This landscape informed hisapproach to photography, which he ventured into as a self-taught teenager, by encouraging him to notice the interesting, sometimes bizarre moments of daily life. Having worked as a documentary photographer for over twenty years now, Berry continues to seek moments that engage his imagination.What lies around the corner? What shines beneath the surface? Berry’s ability to look wait, and wonder has yielded the kinds of provocative photographs that we see in his upcoming exhibition at Mason Fine Art. Being raised in the South by a White mother and Black father, Berry traversed a complicated racial landscape as well. As a biracial person who has lived in both segregated and interracial spaces, he has experienced the difficulty and richness that comes from being “in-between” the color line. This aspect of his identity has made Berry sensitive to questions of racial representation and erasure in his work. This aspect his identity has made Berry sensitive to questions of racial representation and ensure in his work. It has informed the questions he asks, where he direct his lens, and how he connects with the people he documents. Berry’s storytelling photography challenges stereotypes and reminds us that human complexity knows no bounds.