‘Into Existence’ presents a selection of works that are hand-picked from the award-winning Dust collection by French artist and photographer Olivier Valsecchi, and the Dust to Dust collection by American photographer Robert Cornelius. The artworks displayed in this gallery highlight themes such as the creation and incarnation of the human body.
"God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." — Genesis 2:7 In religious contexts, Man is often believed to be created from dust and water. While science has proven otherwise, many people are still fascinated by the idea that Man is formed from the dust on the ground. |
Olivier Valsecchi DUST 06, 2009 Photography |
Olivier Valsecchi DUST 11, 2009 Photography |
The photographs in the Dust series explores the theme of incarnation, from the very moment between nothingness and existence. The award-winning Dust series was inspired by the idea of confused masses of light and dark giving life to items that contain it. The nude males and females featured in the photographs are covered in white ashes, and look as if they are bursting out of an oneiric atmosphere. The photographs depict fictitious encounters between the beginning and the end of life.
Valsecchi originally tried using a smoke machine to create this visual effect of the reborn figure emerging into life, but in the end, actual ashes, from a chimney, proved to be the most effective choice. |
The Dust to Dust collection features photographs of people turning into smoke and dust. In these self-portraits, Cornelius' figure can be interpreted to be emerging out of smoke or turning into smoke. According to the artist, he himself is unsure of what is happening in the digitally-manipulated photographs, and invites the viewer to decipher the meaning behind the images by themselves.
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References
Artepification. (2012, August 1). Olivier Valsecchi - Dust [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL4W3Dptb7E
Cornelius, R. (n.d.). Dust to dust. Retrieved from http://www.robertcorneliusphotography.com/dust-to-dust/dust-to-dust
Cornelius, R. (2014). Dust to dust [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.robertcorneliusphotography.com/dust-to-dust/dust-to-dust
Cornelius, R. (2014). Man was made for joy and woe [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.robertcorneliusphotography.com/dust-to- dust/man-was-made-for-joy-and-woe
Cornelius, R. (2015, January 1). Speed edit for "Man was made for joy and woe" [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=D4bCJ738eEM
Doinel Gallery. (n.d.). Olivier Valsecchi - Dust. Retrieved from http://www.doinelgallery.com/olivier-valsecchi---dust.html
Valsecchi, O. (2009). Dust 06 [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.oliviervalsecchi.com/
Valsecchi, O. (2009). Dust 11 [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.oliviervalsecchi.com/
Artepification. (2012, August 1). Olivier Valsecchi - Dust [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL4W3Dptb7E
Cornelius, R. (n.d.). Dust to dust. Retrieved from http://www.robertcorneliusphotography.com/dust-to-dust/dust-to-dust
Cornelius, R. (2014). Dust to dust [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.robertcorneliusphotography.com/dust-to-dust/dust-to-dust
Cornelius, R. (2014). Man was made for joy and woe [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.robertcorneliusphotography.com/dust-to- dust/man-was-made-for-joy-and-woe
Cornelius, R. (2015, January 1). Speed edit for "Man was made for joy and woe" [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=D4bCJ738eEM
Doinel Gallery. (n.d.). Olivier Valsecchi - Dust. Retrieved from http://www.doinelgallery.com/olivier-valsecchi---dust.html
Valsecchi, O. (2009). Dust 06 [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.oliviervalsecchi.com/
Valsecchi, O. (2009). Dust 11 [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.oliviervalsecchi.com/