Kyle Stewart | Photography

Artist Statement |  Visages of a Cryptic Wild

Inspiration for this series stems from a decade of being immersed in wilderness photography. While exploring on hikes I hope to find the un-explained and unnatural in the natural. Over time, I began to notice peculiar formations amidst the foliage. In these shapes I began to visualize scenes inspired by the haunting settings of European folklore in my imagination. Those mythical tales have long captivated me. I seek to evoke an atmosphere of mystery in which these tales occurred. 

Presented in ornate frames, these landscapes, draw the viewer in to investigate whether the soft dream-like imagery is like a nineteenth century painting in the romantic and impressionism era. Those movements emphasize themes of terrifying surrealism, unpredictability and atmosphere. In these esoteric images, the detail of the foliage is ambiguous and elicits an air that is simultaneously intriguing yet unsettling. With the greenery infiltrating the space you wonder if the frames act as portals where these tales could possibly exist. 

In my methodology, traveling around and making this work - using antiquity and digital technology - I’m creating mythical scenes, yet simultaneously I hope to see it myself.