Ken Collins, a professional photographer and artist based in New York City, is the creator of the project Stones, a visual meditation on permanence and impermanence. His career spans decades, with work published in prominent outlets such as The New York Times, Newsweek, Artnews, and Lenswork. His award-winning portrait series In Their Company: Portraits of American Playwrights was published by Umbrage Books, and his photographs have been exhibited in solo and group shows in galleries and museums. His images are held in both private and public collections, and he also teaches at the International Center of Photography.
In Stones, Collins explores the monumental and enduring presence of the rocks in Joshua Tree alongside the fleeting beauty of seasonal cycles, such as the life and decay of leaves. The stones, seemingly indestructible and timeless, represent a scale of existence far beyond human comprehension. In contrast, the ephemeral elements in nature serve as reminders of change, mortality, and renewal. The juxtaposition of the eonian and the transient prompts reflection on humanity’s short tenure on Earth and our responsibility toward its stewardship. In the context of climate change, the series gains added urgency—highlighting both the enduring natural forces that will outlast us and the fragility of the living world we inhabit.