For his series, Blaise Hayward took photographs of all 50 state neighborhoods.

“E Pluribus Unum” or “Out of many, one.”

That phrase, etched on some quarters that photographer Blaise Hayward was counting in his New York City kitchen in July 2023, intrigued him. They were marks of the 50 State Quarters, a series of coins issued by the U.S. Mint from 1999 to 2008 in which each coin featured a symbol representing one of the 50 states.

With Hayward's growing concern about the vitriolic state of American politics, the phrase resonated.

That moment sparked his photo series, “America ~ The Statehood Quarters,” and sent him on a quest to the bank to find each coin. Now a collection of 50 images, one for each state quarter, the series explores American unity, shared history and constant exchange.

“My goal was to bring these coins together and present them in a consistent and inclusive manner. All states are represented,” Hayward said. “We are all equal. It's about equality, representation.”

Those interested can find his photos on his website, where he sells edited images of the coins, which range from $1,200 to $5,000.

Ahead of America's 250th anniversary on Saturday, Hayward reflects on the series and its relevance today.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Your photographs remind me of portraits. Like great close-ups, each quarter has a unique character. Tell me about your approach to capturing them.

I started my career in the 1980s and was an analogue photographer. I was late to digital. This is all captured digitally, as is most of my work now, but the most important aspect of my work is that it has an analogue feel.

My goal was to present it as realistically and honestly as possible. I photographed them as they are and I do the same with my portraits. I am a portrait photographer at heart and portraiture is my first love. But in my art career I discovered that unless they are famous people, people are not attracted to buying portraits and hanging them in their home. But they are drawn to still life, so many of my artworks now focus on still life. The background of my portrait probably played a subconscious role in how I presented the rooms.

The neighborhood of the state of California.

(Blaise Hayward)

In your photographs, the rooms are old and dull, not shiny and new. Because?

That was important to me. If you go to Wikipedia and type in “Statehood Quarters,” they photographed all 50. They're bright, shiny, fresh from the Mint. I made a conscious decision to photograph them in circulation. I wanted them to emulate the hands they passed through and illustrate the history of the country and the state.

What do you think of the people who occupied these premises in relation to the project as a whole?

I think it tells the story of commerce and the story of exchange. I imagine there are a couple there where people saved some coins and bought something personal. Some of these coins could have been collected by the children and then they could have gone out and bought their first chocolate bar. Or they could have put the quarters in the soda machine and bought a Coke and been so excited.

I am very attached to coins and bills. I see the art in it. It is unfortunate that we are moving towards a society in which we will no longer have that tactile sensation. There is a difference between having a handful of money and paying for a good that you take out your phone and touch.

The neighborhood of the state of Delaware.

(Blaise Hayward)

You are originally from Toronto and have lived in New York for the past 30 years. How has life in America as an immigrant influenced the way you perceive America and represent it in this series?

It allows me to be an outsider looking in. I love the fact that I am Canadian. It's a badge of honor for me. It allows me to have a more comprehensive, broader, and different understanding of what it is like to live in America.

With the “Statehood Quarters,” I don’t know if it influenced me when I photographed the project. I was just amazed by the story. If you start reading about America and how the whole country came together, all the people who made that trip were immigrants. Unless you're Native American, we're all immigrants here. I thought about that a couple of times because I was reading about the people who started it all.

Their series centers unity in a time of extreme division in American politics, whether around the federal crackdown on immigration or LGBTQ+ rights, among other issues. How do you see “unity” in this context? What do you think Americans should be united on?

Americans might be united about how great this country is, although not everyone feels that way right now. The United States is a great country. It has been a beacon of democracy since its founding, and countries around the world have held it in very high regard.

Without revealing my political leanings (I don't even want to get into that), unfortunately, at this present moment, I don't think the country is showing its best. We could take a step back and reflect on the history and unity of the country. We could stand for a little compassion. We could stand some understanding. We could be better listeners.

We don't always have to agree. There's just vitriol out there. It is destroying the country. I think it will be a collective effort on both sides of the aisle for us to come together and lower the temperature.

I hope that on this 250th anniversary people put aside their political leanings and celebrate America. It has a lot of potential to once again be that lighthouse, that leader in the world. At the end of the day, why can't we just adopt “E Pluribus Unum”? Of many, we are one. We are a nation.

For many people, America's 250th birthday will be a time of celebration and patriotism. For many others, it will be a moment of criticism and protest. How do you think your series addresses each of these attitudes?

I hope people look at the series and look at the country from a broader perspective and say, “Wow. What an amazing collection. This 'Statehood Quarters' collection is so inclusive and symbolic of this great nation. Look at all these beautiful coins from these beautiful states.”

Kansas is one of my favorite currencies. I've never been to Kansas, but the coin in the collection made me appreciate the state. It made me think that I would like to visit all the states and meet the people, eat, see what they are like and see the scenery. I hope this collection inspires people to celebrate the country as a whole instead of looking at it state by state.

The neighborhood of the state of Kansas.

(Blaise Hayward)

What does it mean to “celebrate the country”?

I am an outdoors person and a nature person. For me, it means celebrating the land and, with it, celebrating the people of that land.

I was listening to someone on the radio who was here for the World Cup. They were from Morocco and said that everyone they met in New York had been very friendly.

It's time for this country to start being kinder to others. I hope this project helps people to be a little kinder to each other, a little more tolerant, a little more understanding, a little more loving and a little more hospitable.