SIMEN JOHAN – CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS
2019-11-25Known for his psychologically charged depictions of the natural world, Johan intensifies the drama in his new work, featuring animals in turbulent scenes of power play and theatrical poses. The artist attributes the shift to the current socio-political climate, as well as to his continued interest in life as a play of fictions, shaped by desires, fears and illusion.
Simen Johan originally drew attention in the early 90s by merging digital manipulation with traditional darkroom techniques. Since then, he has developed a hybrid form of image-making, integrating candidly-photographed animals and landscapes with modest studio and location setups. The artist travels near and far to photograph his source material, finding inspiration anywhere from the local zoo to the jungles of Costa Rica or the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. Countless hours are then spent assembling disparate images into a unifying whole as he edits, composes and populates each mise-en-scène.
Opposite – Untitled #200
Exhibition runs through to January 4th, 2020
Yossi Milo Gallery
245 10th Avenue
New York
10001 NY
