Tony Dočekal’s series The Color of Money and Trees questions the pursuit of success and the value of the American Dream.
Reflecting on universal themes of freedom, community, and purpose, her work offers a personal perspective shaped by encounters on the road.
“For six years, I returned to the American West, a region mythologized for its freedom and opportunity, meeting people living on the edges of society, sometimes by necessity, sometimes by choice. In a landscape where success is often measured in wealth, I sought to capture something less tangible: resilience, identity, and the quiet moments that reveal our inner world.”
Blurring reality and fiction, The Color of Money and Trees became a portrait of those who carve out their own paths. Published by VOID, the book’s nonlinear sequence follows a fictional journey through highways, small towns, and motel rooms, with figures disappearing behind curtains or out of windows. Interwoven quotes hint at stories that extend beyond the frame of each portrait and location. These are individuals exist outside dominant narratives, challenging conventional truths. Their stories reflect not just lives lived beyond the margins, but the universal desire for meaning, connection, and self-determination.
About Tony Dočekal
Tony Dočekal (Amsterdam, 1992) is a photographer and visual artist whose work explores identity, belonging, and the tension between freedom and societal expectations. Her practice is shaped by personal encounters and long-term engagement with individuals and communities living outside conventional structures. Balancing connection and observation, her work captures moments of resilience, autonomy, and the quiet forces that shape self-perception. Her first monograph, The Color of Money and Trees, was published by VOID (Greece) in 2024 and presented at Paris Photo. She holds a BA in Fine Arts from ArtEZ University of the Arts, and her work has been exhibited internationally, included in museum shows, and acquired into collections. [Official Website]
