Statement of intent
I used to think that the coast was the primary source of my inspiration; I thought it was the exclusive subject in most of my works.
While working on this panel, which bears the name ‘Soul searching’, I realised that the coast was just a ‘location’ where I could isolate myself in solitude. Such unique moments that creates a profound sense of silence, and a surreal atmosphere, away from all distractions.
This body of work translates a scene of a presence that is unseen. Silence is invisible, yet I try to transmit that feeling through my images.
Working with minimal information allows my imagination to enhance and to create more options and perspectives.
Time is a luxury, this luxury to do nothing to just observe and experience the moment. It allows me to wonder off in my mind, and it is what inspired me to work in monochrome and long exposure.
This, for me is a means of escape in meditation in which I am searching for answers within myself. A constant search which may never find the answer, but I will simply feel more content with never knowing.
Another aspect of this panel is the visual absence of the human figure, but when you look closely, the human element is present all the time, and that which I am trying to escape from, is always preceding me.
A new form of beauty created by blending the human presence and his influence over the landscape, where the landscape becomes a hybrid.
It seems that anything manmade that endures in time, acquires the beauty of the natural and nature balances what humans alter.
This body of work is an invitation to the viewer to connect and be part of the artwork, an invitation to step into my vision. Keith Ellul