Sometimes I happen upon work with little or no descriptive statement attached, and I remember how important it is to look at photographs and artwork without knowing any of the artist’s intentions or background information beforehand. A short statement for the first series, translated as The Monkey, the Giraffe, and the Scarlet Ibis, contains the line, “these somewhat unreal images plunge us into a sense of sadness and delight… beauty rubs shoulders with boredom and loneliness.” Particularly in the case of the second series, Panic, I appreciate the allure of knowing only little or nothing of what’s going on.
From an interview on Landscape Stories: I like the ambiguity of the representation. Is it living or dead? Real or not? It’s also a pretext for a portrait, and it’s particularly motivating to be able to create a bridge between a dead animal and me, almost like managing to establish an impossible dialogue. I use the framing and lighting to try to feel the breath of the animal, despite its immobile, dusty state. I like reaching for the resonance and vibration of things.
From “The Monkey, the Giraffe, and the Scarlet Ibis”
From “Panic”
Visit artist's site: nicolaswilmouth.com
Posted February 16th, 2015
