To Wonder: Photograph as Art

Natalie Christensen’s exploration of surface, angle, shape and color

Artist’s Statement: The Deconstructed Self

In 2014, I moved from the state of Kentucky to New Mexico, leaving my lifelong home and 25-year career as a psychotherapist behind. While it was an exciting moment, it was also a time of questioning and reflection.

Like many artists who have come to New Mexico, I was immediately drawn to the distinctive Southwestern light. The beauty of the natural environment is evident to most people; however, my interest was in exploring the more banal peripheral landscapes which often go unnoticed by the casual observer.

I began by photographing color fields and geometric shapes. I was interested in the way light and shadow could spark complex narratives, and quickly became aware these isolated moments in the suburban landscape were rich with metaphor. Closed and open doors, empty parking lots and forgotten swimming pools drew me to a scene, yet it was my reactions to these objects and spaces that elicited interpretation and projection with my camera.

As a psychotherapist I had learned the art of asking the question, and in many ways these photographs are an extension of that work. The symbols and spaces in my images are an invitation to explore a rich world often concealed from our consciousness. The scenes are an enticement to contemplate narratives that seem to have no remarkable life or history of their own, yet tap into something deeply familiar in our personal experiences: often disturbing, sometimes amusing . . . and unquestionably present.

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