For 45 years, Rolf Erikson has volunteered time and materials to maintain a Great Depression-era watchtower on Orcas Island, Washington. Built on a mountain and from local sandstone, the tower began to erode before it was even completed. Now, Rolf contends with hard weather, tourist traffic, and little support from the state to preserve "the sacred beauties of life at the tower atop Mount Constitution."

Following Eriksen, Back at the Foot of the Tower explores the meaning of work—including that which appears futile—the importance of historical preservation, and the role of physical objects in maintaining a collective sense of identity.

Back at the Foot of the Tower brings attention to Rolf's work while also inviting viewers to consider the meaning of their own labor, and how their sense of identity and tradition are informed by structure and place.