S. Jenx - Welcome to the Fall

Autogeografija psihičke i fizičke morbidne nostalgije za sadašnjošću sahranjenoj u prošlosti.
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memento mori

If there is a god, it can be found through aesthetics. This higher power speaks through the artist and we are its scribe.
I have always been fascinated with the idea of capturing the true essence within a photograph, the possibility of taking an element essential to life and breathing it into an aesthetic experience for the viewer. Inspiration for the imagery lies in Victorian post-mortem photographs and photographs capturing occult practice.
The ability to capture essence has always been an alluring and haunting concept. To this day there are cultures with a reasonable fear of the camera and its inherent ability to lure the soul from its resting place with promise of permanence and bind it forever in silver nitrate. Throughout my life there has been a reoccurring theme and this is emulated through the work that I do.
This series of images is a celebration of caatharsis. Some of the most intense possibilities become real in those final moments. I know that personally, I have always been fascinated with the idea of capturing the human crux within a photograph, the possibility of taking an element essential to life and breathing it into an experience for the viewer.

zeitgeist

With the idea of time comes the notion of past, present and future. However, the past and the future are as tangible as the idea of time itself. Past memories fade, the present is constantly eluding us and the future is uncertain. To deal with the idea of time in a philosophic means, initially I recalled theories from William S. Burroughs delving into the idea of “cut-ups”. He asks: if reality can be recorded then why couldn’t it be manipulated in the same fashion as video or audio?
Theoretical inspiration for this came from various sources such as HG Well’s novel “The Time Machine”, numerous articles on time magick and quantum physics and lastly alchemical symbolism. Quite a few artists have been a huge inspiration as well. Paul Romano’s work has always been a motivator in terms of the conceptual end matching the overall presentation of the work. The reason I bring up this work is because in addition to being a perpetual motivator, he has inspired me to look at my process in a different and more complex way. I find myself pushing harder than ever before to complete an image and create a finalized work. The work I’ve been doing as of late employs a variety of techniques including a mixture of digital and traditional mediums and adding alternative process to the concoction as well. These images are no

isolate/desolate

At a very young age I came to the realization that the concept of normalcy is largely based on adaptive qualities and how one uses those to blend in seamlessly to the mass majority. At a very young age I also realized that I had no desire to seamlessly fit into anything, be it the majority or otherwise.
I chose to create eight images, each being 8 inches square. The number 8 in numerology is said to be one of great power mostly stemming from revolution. In addition, 888 is also significant in the sense that one element of life is ending and a new one beginning. These images focus on the idea of deviation from what has been deemed both sociologically and psychologically acceptable. Be it political, religious, or cultural; each image deals with a level of isolation from normalcy.
Each of the images were shot digitally, printed onto Hahnemuhle German Etching paper for its texture, adhered to a balsa wood panel and painted with encaustic medium. I wanted to utilize the process specifically for its vagueness and manipulation of traditional form. These images were a product of not only my own psychological state but also by the work of Jodorowsky, Jan Svankmajer and the Brothers Quay.

46+2

Jung's theory of evolution deals primarily with the number of chromosomes we are born with. This is a visual representation of his theories...

rhetoric for salvatore

My work is the direct result of my experience... 

I have always been driven to share my experience through aesthetics.  Recently my eyesight began to worsen.  After much poking and prodding I was diagnosed with keratoconus, essentially my corneas are self destructing, they’ve pulled so far away from the rest of my eye that I have developed scar tissue, leaving drop outs and extreme degeneration in my sight.  I began seek out how to replicate how I see the world in my work.  What you see in the final product is a combination of what I see and a process-based catharsis.  Each image is an attempt at peace of mind.

I have been shooting for over 25 years now.  My work has been featured in galleries nationally for about 15 years. I've been an artist all of my life. I strive to create a world for my viewer to get lost in. To make a scene. Essentially, I try to build the shot. My influences range from Cindy Sherman, Dianne Arbus and Robert Capa to Jan Sudak, Sally Mann and David LaChapelle. Also, I draw a lot of reference and inspiration from classic artists such as Vermeer, Carravagio and Divinci. 

Every image is a dose of the human condition, day in/day out. There are millions of things, each time we blink, that we take for granted and this is a celebration of that ideal. I have lost many things I held dear and this is my anthem.

Welcome to the Fall

S. Jenx