Vanitas Bubbling Through the Lens of Time

This photography licensing platform features unique works that you will not find anywhere else, a testament to over four decades of dedication to the analogue photographic process. Works seen here are captured on 5 x 4 & 8 x10 inch film plates, then scanned onto our secure servers with the highest standards & colour profiling applied.

There are no changes made to the colours, no retouching or special effects applied to the images in post-production. From the very beginning I aim to set new artistic parameters by restricting myself to the techniques of analog photography used since 1850; inspired by pioneers of photography such as Henry Peach Robinson, Édouard Baldus and Gustave Le Gray.

This series of bubble Vanitas images, born from the skilled lens and dedication of an artist who breeds the rare butterflies seen in these works. These include critically endangered blue Morpho butterflies including Morpho Didius, Morpho Amthonte & Morpho Helena Morpho Helena, the Helena morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. All three are found only in the rainforests of northern South America and are under profound threat of extinction by the human impact of mono culture farming, pesticides and deforestation.

Their wingspan is 75 to 100 millimeters (3.0 to 3.9 in). It is known for its metallic blue and shiny wings, consider Morpho Helena to be the queen of butterflies, a subspecies of Morpho Rhetenor, sometimes named Morpho Rhetenor Helena, this collection unveils a mesmerising dance of bubbles underwater against a rich blue backdrop created without the use of any post production or AI.

In this contemporary ode to Vanitas, the artist delves deep into the timeless symbolism of water, bubbles, and mortality, echoing the artistic echoes of the past. Drawing inspiration from the rich history of art. The collection pays homage to the symbolism of water as a transformative and reflective medium. Much like the revered works of the Dutch masters of the golden age, these images invoke the delicate balance between life's fleeting beauty and its inevitable tragic nature.

More from this collection of works can be found at the original ‘Swarm’ series (2008-Ongoing), ’Transparency of a dream’  (2013-Ongoing) and the ‘Death of the dream’  series (2014-2017).
 

The artistic dedication behind the creation of these photographic works mirrors the essence of a modern-day Vanitas, where the shimmering dance of bubbles captures the fragility of our existence. The deliberate use of water as a medium elevates the photographs to the realm of an oil painting, one being indistinguishable from the other when seen in person. The interplay of light and liquid creates a visual narrative that resonates with profound reflections on life's transient nature.

As society grapples with the challenges of the contemporary world, this series serves as a poignant reminder of the eternal themes that connect us all. The symbolism of bubbles, water and the ephemeral beauty of butterflies speaks to the universal human experience, transcending time and societal shifts. 

Each photograph is created by using brushstrokes on the surface tension of water, literally painting the subject in light. An exploration of life's delicate balance while converging past and present, tradition and innovation.

A rare opportunity to license these exceptional and never before seen works and bring a touch of timeless beauty to your creative projects.