Darwin Grey
Artist Statement
My artwork is influenced by the zeitgeist of the late 18th and early 20th century. The past has always possessed a source of much inspiration and enchantment to me. Specifically the decadent and queer world of Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley. The subjects I work with are myself and beloved friends whom I choose to represent with particular intent. Those friends who are dear to me share a similar pull to the aesthetic tastes of a bygone world. Having been shut away in quarantine for great lengths of time each of these photographic sessions is so incredibly meaningful. I deeply feel that accessing a creative place with another person is one of the most intimate experiences you can share; fostering this connection is an integral part of my creative process. A journey into the studio is always preceded with a pot of tea and conversation. Afterwards we put on classical music, bring out costumes and makeup then delve into our imaginations together. My journey into the world of film photography began in the spring of 2019 when I acquired my first medium format camera, a Yashica Mat. What began as a curious exploration quickly blossomed into a passionate connection with a medium through which I felt I could speak. By the winter of 2019 I seized an opportunity to bring a Hasselblad into my practice. I feel with that camera I can bring to fruition all of my dreams and visions. For all manipulations are done within the camera and not through photoshop or editing programs. What you see in the photograph is the set that I constructed and multiple exposures. A great portion of my body of work was created during the quarantine, I used that time of being shut away from the world to dedicate myself to my artwork and cultivate my process. My work is a personal statement of the way I view the world. I want so much to believe in magic. My photographs are an open invitation for others to believe with me.
Darwin Grey | Portland, OR