Senseless

Based on various anthropological and scientific studies, it has been observed that as people have become more dependent on modern technology and science, people’s senses have gradually dulled and become dislocated with our natural surroundings. Anthropologists have also noticed the opposite occurring in cultures that are still living in nature and actively participating in it. The cultures with roots in mythology and animism are especially in tune with their senses, which as a result, have heightened. I began to look into various mythologies from around the world and the costumes associated with them and observed most involved the covering of the face and body to transform the person into a mythical being. I was also looking at urban legends and hoaxes such as Bigfoot and people’s obsessive fascination of these elusive beasts. Interestingly, many seemed to be based on existing mythologies, with many of the creatures trapped between two worlds. From these findings I began to create modern day mythological narratives in which I explore themes associated with the dislocation of our senses. It is centred on constructed creatures made up of disposable manmade products, each representing one of the senses. These creatures have been consumed by these modern, materialistic items and as such can no longer sense anything at all. Neither human nor animal, they wander between worlds fitting in nowhere, yearning to be part of a world they no longer belong to, and becoming a creature of myth. Photographed using a large format 5x4 field camera.