EmotionOfIllusion
Emotion of Illusion is a photo series that emerges from the intersection of cinema and still photography, transforming images captured on a film set into an independent body of work. Originally taken as production stills, these photographs transcend their initial purpose, evolving into a collection that stands apart from the film’s narrative. Through careful curation and sequencing, the series repurposes these moments, allowing them to exist in a space where fiction, reality, and perception blur. Each image possesses an innate story—one not dictated by the film but instead conjured by the imagination of the viewer.
Cinematic Roots, Photographic Autonomy
While these images originate from a scripted production, Emotion of Illusion reclaims them as singular, self-contained works of art. The actors, once performers within a larger cinematic narrative, now exist as figures in fragmented, ambiguous tableaux. Their expressions, gestures, and interactions—originally intended to serve a linear storyline—become open-ended, imbued with new meaning when isolated from their filmic context.
This transformation challenges the relationship between film and still photography. While cinema thrives on continuity and motion, this series extracts individual frames, allowing for a prolonged engagement with moments that might have otherwise been fleeting. The result is a collection that exists in a liminal space between the staged and the spontaneous, where the emotional weight of each image is heightened by its isolation.
Ambiguity
This ambiguity aligns the series with a broader photographic tradition that embraces fragmentation and non-linearity. Much like the works of photographers who explore narrative deconstruction, Emotion of Illusion allows for a multiplicity of readings. It does not dictate a story but instead offers a series of visual prompts, each image existing as both an independent piece and a part of a larger, undefined whole.
The Illusion of Narrative
True to its title, Emotion of Illusion explores the tension between perception and reality. The viewer is presented with visual cues—expressions of longing, conflict, introspection—but without a clear plot to anchor them. Devoid of context, these images resist a singular interpretation. Instead, they invite the viewer to construct their own meaning, drawing from personal experiences, emotions, and subconscious associations.
LIMITED EDITION PRINTS
Archival prints, available in editions of 250
Smoke
Starting at £250
Committed
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ANCIENT ELDERS
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Visual and Conceptual Language
The aesthetic of Emotion of Illusion is deeply informed by its cinematic origins. The interplay of light and shadow, the careful framing, and the richness of texture all contribute to a visual language that is both theatrical and intimate. At times, the compositions feel meticulously crafted, with each detail purposefully arranged within the frame. At other moments, they appear almost incidental, as though capturing an unguarded second between takes. This oscillation between the deliberate and the accidental enhances the series’ sense of illusion—inviting questions about what is staged, what is authentic, and where the two converge.
Beyond its visual impact, the series also engages with themes of performance and identity. Actors are, by nature, vessels for storytelling, adopting emotions and personas that may or may not reflect their true selves. In Emotion of Illusion, this performative aspect is heightened; the images suggest depth and internal conflict, but whether these emotions belong to the characters or the actors themselves remains unresolved. This tension between authenticity and artifice is central to the series, reinforcing its exploration of illusion—not just in cinema, but in human expression itself.