March 08, 2013

SCULPTURAL IMAGERY BY NICHOLAS ALAN COPE & DUSTIN EDWARD ARNOLD




LESSONS IN SCULPTURAL IMAGERY
NICHOLAS ALAN COPE & DUSTIN EDWARD ARNOLD


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LESSONS IN SCULPTURAL IMAGERY BY NICHOLAS ALAN COPE & DUSTIN EDWARD ARNOLD
Lessons In Sculptural Imagery, Chemical Photography And The Ressurection Of Still Life By Cope/Arnold
Photographer Nicholas Alan Cope and creative director Dustin Edward Arnold have come to be known as a groundbreaking duo within the visual arts world. Both with wide-ranging backgrounds in photography and design, they originally met through a commercial project in 2007 and began their first collaboration in 2009 when they formed the artistic partnership known as Cope/Arnold. They decided to join forces due to a mutual desire to go beyond the commonplace and take photography to places it had never been before. '' We have a classical approach to making work '', they point out, where ''there’s a lot of planning, a lot of preparation''. Their approach to image creation, however classical, still manages to break the confines of conventional photography. Each working beyond their respective discipline, they inventively combine the mediums of painting, chemistry, sculpture, fashion and installation as a part of their image-making process, without being afraid to constantly evolve and experiment with new approaches and techniques that they have never tried before.
Combining traditional art making practices and digital craft into one space, their work is further consolidated by a compelling conceptual framework that goes far beyond what meets the eye. Through their imagery they orchestrate captivating visual storylines based on an omnipresent interest in the abstract which is elusively highlighted by scientific, spiritual and cosmological undertones. The aesthetic of their shoots is made up of a combination of atmospheric lighting, rich textures and attention to detail. Heavenly lights complement and at the same time juxtapose dramatic shadows and exaggerated close-ups, thereby creating a series of mesmerizing imagery that shies away from ordinary editorial and flirts with fine art.
Since joining forces, they have amassed a body of autonomous work that references the past, twists the present and projects well into the future. So today, we are very excited to present an overview of their breathtaking imagery.

http://www.cope-arnold.com/






VEDAS 2011










VEDAS 2011



PROJECT VEDAS 2011
VEDAS (2011), which means knowledge in Sanskrit, is a striking ongoing photography series that presents the duo’s distinctive take on fashion photography. The series is a broad exploration of the subject of knowledge, especially inspired by the alternative mindset offered by Copernicus in his book ‘De revolutionibus erbium coelestium’ (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres) that reassessed man’s place in the cosmos.
As the duo proclaims,
'''... knowledge it seems, is at once both expansive and contractive. It is a value exchange. For some it shakes foundations, de-stabilizes values and opens up the sheer terror of possibility. For others it signifies hope, advancement and discovery''.

In their images, knowledge is a ray of light reflected from the orbit of celestial bodies, illuminating dark spaces and the corners of the mind. Its power, glorious and resplendent, restrictive but also infinite, sculpts mentality and space into pristinely pure vessels of life, where soft light, or even the absence of it, sets the scene for hauntingly captivating fashion imagery with cosmological undertones. Figures that appear sacred and regal seemingly assume the role of high priests amidst monochromatic new-age temple-like sceneries set somewhere in-between light and darkness. Shrouds, veils, visors and masks form a protective armour that enfolds the spirit. Faceless models and indistinguishable silhouettes now become universal, gracefully emerging out of the darkness poised and humbled, as if standing in awe in front of the daunting gravitas of knowledge. Through photographing sculptural garments of their own design, Cope and Arnold tell a story of spirituality, revelation and alternative belief systems, where the mystical co-exists with the scientific.



VEDAS 2011




VEDAS 2011










VEDAS 2011




VEDAS 2011






VEDAS 2011




















Both with varying backgrounds in photography and design Nicholas and Dustin met through a commercial project in 2007 and began their first collaboration in October of 2009. 
Each working beyond their respective discipline they combine the mediums of painting, chemistry, sculpture, fashion and installation as a part of their image-making process.
Their first project Putesco (2009) explores classical composition and aesthetics through decomposing still lives. Aether (2010) is a mixture of painting, chemistry and photography, dealing with perception of the abstract. Stamen (2010) takes that same interest in the abstract applied to conventional floral arrangements, while Vedas (2011) marked their move into fashion imagery through photographing
sculptural garments of their own design.
They are currently working on a number of projects and collaborations due for release inlate 2012 and early 2013. 
http://www.cope-arnold.com/info.html