Experiences from the Outside World is a photographic still-life study that investigates the symphonic aliveness and the fragile interconnectedness of the living world. The series aims to reinforce our cultural relationship with the natural world, and evokes the longing for a romanticized world. Nature encompass every dimension of human interaction, thus these photographs study precisely this relationship with the natural space and its connection to our visual sense.
In these lushly constructed scenes, raindrops, sumptuous flowers, plants, shellfish and butterflies are a reflection of the climate and culture of Savannah, Georgia. The juxtaposition of real and imagined subtropical gardens and forests render nature as an exotic place of fantasy, enticing a sense of emotional participation. The photographs thus draw us into the dynamic mix of local nature and culture, and give appreciation to the natural world, the very foundation of life.
Nature is a place of paradoxes, and the reflection of bridging the ephemeral with the eternal. To sense this mysterious wonderland thriving outside our own worlds, we must lose our perceptions of reality, and enter into an ideal universe of enchanting experiences. The photographs explore from the vantage point of the one looking down in the discovery of a lively nature, the magical about the reality of other living beings.
This series is based on the digital installation “Experiences from the Outside World – Living Stills”, commissioned by the Savannah College of Art and Design through the Alumni Atelier program in Savannah, Georgia. In this interactive installation, a hybrid of still and moving photographs morphs into living stills that collect and store the acoustic and motion characteristics of the natural space, to reflect real-world moments of wonderment and reflection.
Gabriela Iancu is a multidisciplinary artist whose work focuses on the intersection of creative technology, art innovation, and storytelling. Most recently, Gabriela was the Winter and Spring 2017 Alumni Atelier ambassador and artist in residence at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah and Atlanta (GA, USA) for two consecutive quarters. Gabriela lives and works between Europe and the US.
