Land and Sky
by Amanda Arcuri
My work deals with themes revolving around man and nature and reflects on the question of how we as humans connect with the natural world in today's unnatural society. I explore this though many playful incursions into a natural, outdoor landscape. Using photographic aesthetics and traditions alongside inspiration from photographers such as Edward Burtynsky, Andy Goldsworthy and John Pfhal, this is an extension of the altered landscape.
As I manipulate the landscape I put on seemingly ritualistic performances for the camera, collaborating with temporal materials such as fire, ice and light. In this series I turn the natural world into a backdrop to create a complimentary dichotomy with the objects and elements I place within it. The final images leave the viewer questioning how it has been made or what exactly they are looking at. It is the images’ ambiguity that transforms the mundane into something otherworldly or mysterious. The images’ enigmatic qualities leaves its meaning subjective; the work can be read having environmental undertones while also possessing philosophical interpretations.
