Fellowships 2015

Considerations of a Modern Landscape

I am interested in the serendipitous moments provoked by rare, atmospheric occurrences. In these altered landscapes, the subtleties that emerge remind us of simpler times, prompting us to contemplate our place in the world and challenging us to consider how we want to shape its future. My intent is that the complexities and pensive nature of the photographs are universal, and yet, intimately personal.

The goal of my work is to invite people to consider the importance of land, not merely for beauty or industry, but for the sensations that are evoked within us. By placing the horizon line at the center of the image, a slight abstraction is created. The photographs defamiliarize the traditional landscape, with the intent of stimulating the viewer to reflect, and rediscover the meaning of the photograph.

This project was inspired by the sensory experience we get from nature, specifically at the crossroads of a horizon. The resulting balance and symmetry has the power to center us as humans. Eastern philosophy further influences the ideas of balance and symmetry experienced in this body of work.

These photographs were taken with either a rangefinder camera or Hasselblad coupled with a digital back.

2014
www.wendelwirth.com