Kaleidoscopic Still Life

”Kaleidoscopic Still Life” is a reinterpretation of the baroque still life painting as well as an experiment of how to use the photographic medium as a painting tool. Aesthetically the series draw inspiration from the Baroque still life painting’s use of dramatic light and saturated colors where value contrast is used as a tool to appeal to the senses in a dramatic way. The strong light and bright colors are as well in "Kaleidoscopic Still Life" used conceptually as a symbol for life, hope, and happiness. The vanity and fragility of life are depicted in my use of common vanitas symbols as well as in the surreal effects that serve as a constant reminder of an underlying fear and anxiety. When seeing a photograph we oftentimes presume it to be trustworthy and real, but in my photographs I aim to play with our sense of reality by distorting the objects and space within the picture frame using a special in camera technique that involves reflective material. With these effects I aim to surprise and confuse and leave one with the question of what is real or unreal.