Falling in trees 1
Courtesy Robert Mann Gallery, New York
In these two images from Gowin's series Of Falling & Floating, figures are pictured falling through the air. A sense of anxiety and mystery pervades the images: who are these people, in what rituals are they engaged, and what led them to these transformative moments?
Throughout the series, a multitude of dramas is played out against the backdrop of the natural world – leafy trees, shallow water, and expanses of open sky. As a whole, the series reflects the breadth of human emotion – fear and joy, anger and peace.
The images are created by a process which combines painstaking handcraft techniques with the latest digital image technology. Gowin collects amateur photographs via the internet and collages them in multiple layers before printing small paper negatives which are then scanned. The photographs appear to be both old and new, confusing to the eye and yet hauntingly familiar.
Falling in trees 2
Courtesy Robert Mann Gallery, New York
