'My experiences have lead me to create energetic dreamscapes portraying an odd mixture of human composition, emotional experience, and surreal motion that focuses on the idea that people are connected to themselves, their experiences, and to the world in such a way that we are not apart from our reality but a part of it.'
One of the connections that I love to explore is the connection between an artist and their imagination. On the surface it may seem simplistic to say that a great artist's is able to tap into the creative parts of their mind, but it is a bit more complex that that. Many artists and photographers create brilliantly beautiful images. Well lit captures of beautiful bodies which skilfully utilize concept and color, location and lines. That doesn't always mean however, that imagination played a part.
Imagination to me, is the ability to tap into history. Not just remembering, but returning to the experience of childhood play. To recreate how our mind worked when it was many years younger. he mind that helped create the thrill of tying a beach towel around our neck and running through the woods, absolutely positive that the towel (our cape) would support us to take flight.
Brandon & Kai
The limitless imagination of a young mind at play is so central to so many of my favorite shoots. Although the artist is older, and able to incorporate more mature and erotic themes to their work, the creative stimulus is pure, not weighed down but the lessons we are all forced to learn. It is through this lens that I entered the world of Anthony Dortch's Pure.
Brandon
PURE is a story built around the small nation of Seyns. It is governed by 7 feuding Western defined families; each with unique characteristics. They are privileged. The privileged don the ornate clothing and jewelry of money, beauty, and corruption. Their golden exterior and sky blue eyes belie any preoccupation with altruism, for the commoners serve as mere stepping-stones to money, power and useless things.
The Others do not fit in to society due to a substantial shortage of earthly possessions or status. The Others cannot camouflage their destitution. They live out side of Seyns and can only enter the nations walls to serve.
I first discovered Anthony's work, and his Pure world last October. I was looking for imagery for my Halloween week and contacted one of my favorite photographers to profile, David from YogaBear Studio about a series on his site. Although David didn't have ghosts or witches in his portfolio, he did have a series of body paint themed images I thought I might use.
Brandon & Sha
The body painter was Anthony Dortch, an artist David had no problem praising and gushing about his paint artistry. They got together last year while David was visiting Arlington and completed a whirlwind session with the models featured here. Tony did all the body painting himself, working to create the characters from his comic book series The Pure.
Sha
It is incredible how Anthony weaves photography, his painting and art to create characters and images who look like they stepped right out of a comic book. I was especially impressed with David's shots of Brandon. With Anthony's artistry, and Brandon's facial expressions and posing, a menacing villain springs off the screen and creatively to life.
'I have traveled to different locations, found interested models and shot what I could in one day to create a short animation and comic book series.'
The video above is just a small teaser of Anthony's work with The Pure. Check out more on his Vimeo page HERE: and check out a 'making of' video on YouTube HERE: Also check out a brand new shoot featuring David and Anthony's work together HERE:
Harry
2 comments:
masterful compilation; beautiful photography, poses, models and body painting
Just unbelievably deep! I have never seen anything like this.
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