My work over the past several years has explored the use of photography as a medium to create.
We are dots. Born and raised in New Jersey, photographer Joshua Jensen-Nagle came to Canada in 1999 and started to develop his distinct photographic style. Exhibited internationally in museums and galleries, Jensen-Nagle describes his work as a reminiscence of painting rather than simple photography. « One thing I try to achieve is a painterly aspect in my work, it’s how I understand photography. »
For over a decade, Jensen-Nagle has been using expired Polaroid films, and an extraordinary colour palette, all giving a singular aesthetic to his shots. Painting directly on his photographs and then re-shooting them, the Toronto-based artist tends to soften the image and carry a strong sense of nostalgia, pushing the boundaries between the mediums. From Australia, Spain, Portugal, to Canada, from Miami, Italy, the East coast of the US, to Brazil, and Hawaii, Joshua Jensen-Nagle traveled the world to create dreamy large-scale beaches and romantic European vistas, illustrating his memories of childhood summers spent at his grandfather’s beach house in New Jersey.
« My work over the past several years has explored the use of photography as a medium to create. » said the artist about his large-scale beaches. « Whether it is SX-70 Polaroid, photographic prints painted and then re-photographed, or shooting with the latest digital technology, I understand photography as a means to create rather than to document a reality, allowing the viewer to bring their own associations to the work. » With over fifty exhibitions in the last 12 years, Jensen-Nagle developed a strong standing in the art world, and is collected widely throughout North America and Europe.
Through these global views of humanity, the artists depicts us as dark tiny spots. Not only does Jensen-Nagle's work reminds us how small we are, how huge the universe is, but it reminds us that we definitely all live on the same planet.
Discover more about Joshua Jensen-Nagle on his website.
