Shelly Mosmans nostalgische Inszenierung von Kindern mit Tieren
diese Bilderserie schwappt
gerade deutlich und sehr präsent international durch die sozialen Medien.
Da geht es um Kunst, um
Fashion und ja, ALLE lieben Tiere und Kinder mitunter auch.
Doch bei Shelly Mosman sind
Kinder nicht unbedingt niedlich, sondern auf ihre typische, sehr eigene Art der
Arrangements von Licht, Farben, Stoffen, echten und unechten Accessoires,
ausgefallenen Frisuren und Styling begegnen wir unserer und ihrer
Kindheit wieder - mitunter deutlich verstörend.
Erinnerungen und Sehnsüchte
wecken diese Bilder. Das Tier, dein Freund und Gefährte, dein
Seelenverwandter. Und so will es scheinen, dass jedes Tier seinen kleinen
Begleiter perfekt ergänzt und sich als sein Alter-Ego offenbart. Das surreal,
reale Ensemble betört und lässt unsere eigene Phantasie weit schweifen vom
Unterbewusstem über den Lieblingsroman und erzählt uns dabei echt eine Menge.
The Animal Child
Shelly Mosman works in Minneapolis / Minnesota USA
"I started taking photos at the age of 12, shooting
pretty much what I'm shooting today, while playing dress-up with my little
sister. I’d delve into my teenage wardrobe and dress her up, then pose her
outside our house, directing her to stand next to a 1984 Pontiac Grand Am with
a big silver studded belt over one of my over sized 80’s t shirts. It was 1985,
I was shooting with a camera I got from the Snyder's Drug store down the
street. It was one with disposable flash units clipped on top of a long
flat plastic box. It had a range finder, not a real lens."
"The
Animal Child series started in 2013. I have a deep love for fashion and style
of all kinds, working with kids and animals. I started creating images that
made feel nostalgic, I guess my own childhood inspired this series. My style is
just little more refined now. I am always inspired by things I'm attracted to."
Mein Lieblingsbild der Serie
"Incorporating
a multitude of decades visually makes the images more timeless. I find this quality
important if I want to enjoy them for years to come. This often plays out in my
back-drops. A friend introduced me to
vintage bark cloth, a fabric used for curtains, furniture and pillows between
the 1920-1950’s. I was not only attracted to the rare patterns but also the
texture of the fabric and the style of printing, I have one 36x42 section of
bark cloth with a title printed directly on it, 'Life on the Mississippi'."
Mein zweitliebstes Bild
"The animals represented
often come from nearby my studio. I happen to be in a building with many dogs
who come to work with their artists, so, lucky for me, I can pick and choose.
Then I started including the children’s own pets. Some have bearded dragons,
some have chickens, some have birds and so on. In most of the portraits, though,
the animal and child have just met for the first time. This series is
constantly changing. My most recent favorite is 'Brutus and the Bird'."
"Whatever
I'm shooting, I start with a pre-existing image in my head. It can be a really
strong idea, but I'm usually willing to let it go if something else reveals
itself. This balance of being in control versus “letting go” is very
important for me in my practice. Without it I couldn’t capture the
majority of my images. I try get the shot within the first 10 frames.
Sometimes I shoot a little longer only because the subject might be
disappointed it’s already over. I'm sensitive to all of my subjects,
I want them to be comfortable, animal and child alike. I project
and absorb A LOT of energy during a shoot, so I don’t want the shoot to last
too long or I'll be drained."
"I
think the most important part my work is working itself. Many times I
shoot to shoot-it’s as simple as that. Creating an image at the end of
the day is simply something I get to keep from the process. Something new
I'm just starting to inch into my work is going beyond a simple printed
image. I’m printing on aluminum and gluing glass diamonds to my
images. This will make my portraits one-of-a-kind, something I’ve
struggled with in photography. The diamond-studded images will be an
addition of one, like a painting would be. I'm very excited about this."
