Bill Henson is a contemporary art photographer from Australia. He has created a multitude of photo books including Lux et Nox (2002) and Mnemosyne (2005). His psychologically charged work is a reflection of the human condition and its interaction with nature. With his use of enigmatic and dark tones to give candid portrayals of topical themes such as youth and loneliness. The twilight period between night and day is an iconic theme in his work used to provoke a rawer, much darker narrative.He has been featured in the 2006 compilation of Twilight: Photography in the Magic Hour, which shows just a taster to his compelling portraits and landscapes.
I was inspired to explore his work after looking at the work of American photographer Todd Hido who explores similar concepts in his own work, in particular the notion of the magic hour and how that can build a compelling new sense of narrative. Hensons work shares a lot of similarities with my starting point with the juxtaposition of rugged and crumbling dark landscapes with blunt portrayals of the human condition. His landscapes show natures tug between man and nature.
Lux et Nox
Lux et Nox was published in 2011, featuring a selection of Henson’s work which explores in particular humanistic themes of youth and vulnerability with a dark and honest undertone thru ought. Work word Lux et nox is Latin for day and night, referring to how the photograph were taken in between the transition between these. I like the use of Latin in his title which is something I could possibly use in my own title for my nook, this use of hidden meaning adds a very cryptic layer to his work, evoking a more active response from the viewer. This juxtaposition of day and night also elevates the meaning and narrative in his work.
The provocative subject matter often featuring semi nude figures often depicted doing rebellious actions such as drinking alcohol or being intoxicated adds a controversial nature to his work. The pale and bruised complexion of the figures as well as the distressed expressions adds a sense of vulnerability and misery to his work, this again evokes a narrative. Henson has used this as a way to create an active response and connect his work with the viewer to make the viewer draw on their own experiences and feelings.
“Henson has always prioritized composition and visual beauty, even when his pictures seem to depict pain, despondency and the results of violence. He has often concentrated on youthful subjects, and in recent years he has tended to depict young naked people who seem desperately unhappy, and console themselves with sex and drugs” – Metapsychology Review
Caravaggio and Tenebrism
After looking and analyzing Henson’s work I saw similarities between is work and the style of Tenebrism and in particular the Italian Renaissance/Baroque artist Caravaggio.
Tenebrism is a very dramatic style of art featuring a harsh chiaroscuro style as well as often evoking drama, intensity and most importantly tells a narrative. This is very present if Henson’s work with the use of black negative space and dramatic tones. There are a lot of similarities between his and Caravaggios work both visually and conceptually. Caravaggio’s work highly scandalous during his time and has been referred to as the ‘succès-de-scandale’ or the ‘antichrist of painting’. His work was highly acclaimed during his early years for his high skill level and was often commissioned such as by the Contarelli Chapel in the church of San Luigi dei Francesi. The controversy came from how he would often depict religious figures in highly realistic, approachable manor, stripping the figures from a sense of power and their religious properties and instead portraying them as vulnerable, emotional and most importantly their innate human nature, this is similar to what Henson’s was displayed in his work.
An example of this in Caravaggio’s work is his famous painting The Taking of Christ which was commissioned in 1602 by the Roman nobleman Ciriaco Mattei, the painting depicts the crucifixion of Christ. the composition shows exaggerated movements to give the painting a sense of story line and give the viewer a sense of what is happening. Similar to a portrait by Henson, there is very little in the background leaving the viewer to focus on the figures. Another similarity between Caravaggio and Henson is the use of expression on the figures faces which create a sense of despair as well as evoke an uncomfortable feeling from the viewer. Most crucially the figures are depicted as very everyday and almost lifeless, Caravaggio makes you feel as if you were present withing the harrowing scene as opposed to an idealized fantasy version. Caravaggio and Henson capture the vulnerability and reality which connects to the viewer on a deeper level. I like his use of dark colours and use of aesthetic, he also experiments with white balance to eokve narrative. His photos represent a huge use of engaging visual beauty.
Art remains the one great constructive bridge between the subconscious and the conscious world – Bill Henson (Ocula.com)
I like his use of translucent appearing skin tones which show a psychologically charged atmosphere, they are both mature and yet unsettling. Similar to Hido his work explores a feeling of loneliness and vulnerability. Another similarity is that he also creates a lot of published work which is something I plan on looking at for my final piece. I plan on creating a published book as a final outcome.