Iranian-Australian Melbourne based artist Joseph Emmanuel uses his practice to intersect fantasy and reality. Drawing from his Iranian heritage and academic background in law and theology, Emmanuel uses emotion, reflection and colour to translate his subconscious. “In this current portfolio my main focus has been the interplay between light/shade and water,” he says. “Water – rather than being a passive medium – acts as an active recipient of light and shade with a unique quality to transform and interpret them.” Emmanuel uses light and shade as interpretive tools, enabling him to tell stories. “The water reflection portfolio took me two years to complete,” he says. “I had to do most of the project on early mornings after rainy nights. My wife Valentina and I used to leave the house before 6am, heading to where I could capture the best water reflections while pushing our two children in their pram wrapped in a warm blanket.” The results take us into unknown realms of reflection.
Featured image: Joseph Emmanuel, Again and Again, 2021. Print on Ilford SMOOTH PEARL 310gsm, various dimensions. Courtesy: the artist.