Peter Granser: The American Dream

Tucked away in the heart of southwestern United States' Arizona is Sun City, a vibrant and exclusive community of senior citizens living off their retirement years. While the thought of old age might dampen the spirits of many readers, in this city it's only akin to getting your second wind as photographer Peter Granser discovered.

Sun City was developed in the 1960s, meticulously planned in the construction of its curved streets and level bungalows. It became a popular destination for retirees over the years and Del Webb, the developer, rapidly expanded into neighboring areas to cater to the growing demand.

It's here that Granser spent his time beginning in 2000 to document this microcosm of the elder America within America.

At first glance, these images appear to be rather comical and foreign, an impression that Austrian-born Granser must have felt upon entering this seemingly peculiar American metropolis; not only are there rows upon rows of standard one-level homes lined up on a seemingly endless street, they are all meticulously clean and they glow as if they were all constructed the day before.

Of course it's not the buildings and plants that make Sun City so special, it's the 40,000 residents who have had to wait until they were at least 55 years old in order to live in this community.

The old timers here are anything but about being old; from golf to synchronized swimming to lawn bowling to almost anything else you might imagine for recreation and relaxation, these guys and gals do it and have a blast while they're at it.

In many ways, Granser's photographs encapsulate the American Dream for many people, only that it focuses on the later years; the opportunity to enjoy your senior years after 20, 30 or 40 years of punching the clock at the office.

Granser's photographs aren't just a documentation of this retirement community, they are a celebration of life itself, a testament for later generations that youth is not a time of life but a state of mind.

Peter Granser's Sun City is collected in the appropriately titled Sun City. In addition, he has other books available from his other projects such as Peter Granser: Coney Island (Emanating) and Peter Granser: Signs, all photographs done in Granser's signature style.