Light & Shadow
“All the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow.”
Leo Tolstoy
The gentle interplay of light and dark reveals the world in its most honest form. Black and white photography strips away the distractions of colour, allowing us to focus on the essence of the subject – the textures, the contours; everything communicated in the simple language of contrast.
It’s this simplicity that invites us to form a deeper, more intimate connection with what we see.
Imagination takes hold, and the curious mind wanders. We consider the sculptor’s every nuance; carved features painted in subtle graduations of light. The curve of a lip, the furrow of a brow, the intensity of a gaze frozen in time. In these moments, stone becomes flesh – there is no longer just a human shape before us, but a human presence.
Black and white transcends mere aesthetic. It is a dialogue between past and present, connecting us with the everliving soul of humanity. Desire, despair, rage, grief. These sculptures are not just relics of a distant time and place, they are echoes of our own experiences, emotions, and our shared history.
“Marble has a soul, and I strive to bring it forth.”
Antonio Canova
When Antonio Canova’s sculpture Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss was first revealed to the world, many commented that it was as if time itself had paused to witness their embrace. A masterpiece of Neoclassical realism, certainly. But more than that – somehow alive. We can see the serenity of true love, and also feel it.
French painter Jacques-Louis David would echo this sentiment: “When I saw the works of Canova, I heard the marble breathe.”
There is no union more harmonious than that of marble and monochrome. This is a relationship of deep intimacy and quiet reflection, flourishing through a shared trinity of values – form, texture, and contrast.
The Light & Shadow collection celebrates this union, delving into the figures and themes of antiquity and exploring the depths of the human experience. Each print has the power to evoke personal reflections and memories, yet it seamlessly complements any setting – whether in a minimalist, modern space or a richly decorated traditional home. The timeless elegance of black and white photography is truly univeral.
All of my photography is printed on matte fine art paper using giclée technology. This produces high-quality, museum-grade prints that beautifully capture contrast and texture while avoiding the ‘glossy, bright white’ aesthetic of standard photography paper.
“To see in color is a delight for the eye, but to see in black and white is a delight for the soul”
Andri Cauldwell