Police Officers Richard Galbreth, Roy Isakson and Jerry Masterson, Chicago, Illinois, January 19, 2002 / Pimps God, Seymore, Bishop Don Magic Juan and King Bean, Chicago, Illinois, June 30, 2000. From the series "Created Equal." Framed in an ebony wood frame measuring 37.5 x 25.5 x 1.62 inches (95.3 x 64.8 x 4.1 cm).

“At the heart of this collection of portraits is my desire to remind us that we are all equal, until our environment, circumstances or fate molds us and weathers us into whom we become. America’s extremes seem to be getting more severe. The chasm between the rich and poor continues to grow; the clash between conservatives and liberals is stronger than ever; even good and evil seem more polarized. Created Equal attempts to remind us that we are all connected, no matter how separate our paths may be.” -Mark Laita

Mark Laita (b. 1960) earned a B.A. in Photography from Columbia College Chicago and then worked as a commercial photographer for two years before moving to Los Angeles in 1986. There, he has garnered a reputation among a diverse group of high-profile clients including Van Cleef and Arpels, Visa, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Adidas. Most notably, his work was used for ad campaigns for Apple for over ten years. His first published book of non-commercial work, "Created Equal" (2006) was the product of an eight-year project in which he traveled across the country photographing Americans from all walks of life. These images, all in diptych format, exert striking comparisons as they explore issues of social, economic, and gender difference and similarity within the United States. Laita's other publications include "Sea" (2011) and "Serpentine" (2012). Laita's work has been exhibited in galleries in both the United States and Europe, including Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles, Camera Work in Berlin, and Three Punts Galleria in Barcelona.