Portrait of Transience
ARTIST STATEMENT
Portrait of Transience is a series of fine-art still life portraits depicting organic matter at various stages of decay. It is a philosophical inquiry that surpasses the conventional memento mori, raising the transient to a state of enduring importance. This work is not merely a study of biological breakdown; it is a narrative of elevation.
Inspired by the 17th-century Baroque natura morta tradition, I purposefully elevate these transient subjects to a pedestal of lasting significance. I treat the 'dying' object with the same monumental respect usually reserved for the high-born portrait, transforming a fleeting state using chiaroscuro lighting to accentuate the subjects' sculptural depth and monumentality, emphasising the beauty in decay while creating a sense of timelessness and drama.
Through this formalist treatment of decay, the series achieves its intent: to offer the viewer an immersive encounter as they navigate the intricate landscape of a transient world, while inviting meditation on the passage of time and their own place within the universal continuum of life.
This series serves as my first formal investigation into the 'fleeting fragments' of life, transitioning my practice from the biological transience to a broader psychological inquiry into how we, as humans, occupy our own temporary place within the world.
