REZA SAFAVI / Thomas Grocery and Pump

October 12, 2022 – June 30, 2023

While Reza Safavi was driving through Sanpete Valley in March of 2021 he passed an abandoned building in Sterling, UT - Thomas Grocery. This white frame building with a single gas pump out front is located on the west side of US Hwy 89, about a half-mile into town. The store seemed to be frozen in time with items still stocked in the dusty windows. Intrigued by this building, with its unknown past, and uncertain future, Safavi stopped to digitally scan it.

Header image: Thomas Grocery and Pump, 2021, Reza Safavi

He spoke to residents about the building and discovered that a woman named Lillie Thomas worked there continuously for 74 years, with the exception of 3 years during World War II, while living in a white cottage next door. The store was open six days a week, from 7am to 8pm, and Lillie covered most of those hours. In an interview Safavi found, Lillie talked about the struggle to survive with the arrival of big-box stores and mentioned one of the highlights of working in the store was a summer in the 1990s when Wilford Brimley visited Thomas Grocery a number of times while shooting a film in the valley. While known for being an actor, Wilford was also an accomplished musician and singer. For the soundtrack in this video, Safavi chose his rendition of “It’s Not Easy Being Green.” Wilford passed away in August of 2020.

To imprint the experiential magic of this building and create this video work, Safavi used 3D scanning technologies and 360 video, digitally preserving this example of vernacular architecture in its current state in 2021. Safavi aims to create an experience of Thomas Grocery that serves as a virtual monument to the hard work and dedication of this unique woman and her contribution to the community.

About the Artist

Reza Safavi examines how technology shapes experience. He uses video, code, sound, drawing, performance, sculpture, analog, and digital devices as well as living elements to create interactive experiences that highlight the interfaces between communities, technology, consciousness, and the environment. Reza has been a member of several artists’ groups, in addition to his individual practice and his artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Safavi holds an MFA from the University of Oregon, and a BFA from the University of Victoria. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Fine Arts at Washington State University in Pullman, WA. hi-reza.com