There’s a special place in my heart for photographs made by women looking at hunting culture (I’m thinking of you, Amy Stein and Erika Larsen). I think hunting today is such a complex subject and there’s so much room for it to be explored in photography. It adds something more for me when the work is by a woman, as it’s men who represent the stereotypical hunter. Something I love about these photos is the variety of types of hunting and animals involved. The series depicts modern hunting cultures across the world, and future destinations for exploration include Scotland, France, South Africa, Central Europe, and Scandinavia.
From the artist’s statement: Growing up in the city, I never realized hunting was still being practiced – I never thought I would see myself on a hunt. When I made my first book, “On Loving Animals,” I witnessed my first hunt. Compared to the hypocritical relationship meat-eating city dwellers tend to have with animals, where they are either part of the family or an unrecognizable industrial food product, the world of hunting seemed surreal – oddly honest and confronting. I was intrigued by this combination of a peaceful, meditative interaction with nature and the unforgiving confrontation with death. My goal is to witness with an open mind, and share my experiences.
In order to better understand hunting, I followed a six-month hunter’s education program, and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor in English Language and Culture, writing my thesis on the influence of the Romantic hunter ideal and the frontier myth on contemporary hunting literature.
On a personal note, Daniel and I are getting ready to head off to Lincoln, NE, today for the Midwest SPE Conference. Expect notes next week!
From “Isabella Hunts”
Visit artist's site: isabellarozendaal.com
Posted October 24th, 2013
