When Jan Kersschot starts to photograph the body, you can expect to be surprised. He uses the camera to show us common anatomical details of the human body, as we have never seen them before. You may be attracted by a tiny detail such as a few hairs of an eyelid or the delicate texture of the skin just below the eye. You could also be intrigued by the gentle interplay between what’s in focus and out-of-focus. And those photographs, which are completely blurred, transcend mere illustration and enter a completely conceptual level. His work could remind you of universal characteristics of mankind such as vision and creativity, but other elements may also come to the fore such as fragility and despair.
Gazing at his works may leave you with a sense of wonderment, recognition or mere alienation. And when you delve deeper into this work, it may become clear that the photographs not only refer to the model that is photographed but may also become mirrors for the viewer. Especially when you look at a photograph for a long time, it could become an expression of something about yourself. Perhaps, a hidden part or a deeper layer of yourself comes up front during this process.
With all these different layers of the work in mind, it becomes clear that these photographs not only echo subtle balances between white and black, but also between the seen and the unseen, between the conscious and the unconscious, between what we reveal about ourselves to other people and what we usually hide about ourselves. As such, these landscapes become mental landscapes, reflecting both the bright side as well as the dark qualities of the human condition.
Michael Gardner
Michael James Gardner is a copywriter who earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in Nonfiction Writing from Saint Mary’s College of California.
EXHIBITION
Eyescapes
May 11 – July 31 2014
Studio Inspiration
Volkstraat 38
Antwerp
Belgium
