Still Life has interested me from the outset of my photographic practice. It was the topic that I was most drawn to out of all the themes that I have researched. It has proven to be the most practical and accessible genre for me as I have mobility issues. Within the topic of still life there are an infinite number of objects, patterns and textures to be explored, photographed and utilised.
The Garden of Hesperides is the place in Greek Legend from where the Gods obtained immortality. I chose this title as an ironic allusion to the true concept of the piece. While the Greek Garden of Hesperides is one of immortality, my Garden contains only dead and decaying material which is given a new life by the photographic techniques employed.
Exploring themes of Vanitas and still life have been at the forefront of my work over several years. This project focuses particularly on themes of conceit and decay, connecting to my thoughts and inner most feelings concerning my own condition. I have operated in the realms of Surrealism, Vanitas and Abstraction.
Increasing entropy causes the object to decompose, become more chaotic and abstract. Ironically people will attempt to impose an order or new life into these images subconsciously. It is an inherent fear within the human psyche to not want things to end indefinitely.
The decaying objects within the frames were constructed from everyday mundane objects. The manner in which they were arranged and photographed produces a surreal, fantasy ecosystem which invites the viewer to inspect, walk through or even inhabit a disintegrating biosphere.
The series of images in this project aim to portray an ambiguity of scale, perhaps encouraging the viewer to examine more closely the ‘landscape’ themes within, impose their own order. Order from chaos, beauty from decay, immortality from mortality.