Amanda Mason’s ‘Escapism’ series visually expresses an ethereal sleep state, a place between being awake and being asleep, a place where the mind is semi-conscious, but irrational, where subliminal and deeply hidden myths and meanings are brought out of their hiding places.
Sometimes whimsical, sometimes sinister, but always an intriguing juxtaposition of objects, animals and people conveying evocative scenes which feel like they are a snapshot taken from a much larger dream sequence.
The use of symbology makes us wonder what the deeper meaning is behind the images, a wanting to understand, but at the same time completing the meaning for ourselves. There is a feeling of suffocation, adoration, resurrection, loss and longing. There is a sense of voyeurism, in the way that we feel like we are looking into a personal diary, which is both intriguing and uncomfortable, but at the same time tender and heartfelt.
The use of Polaroid film only enhances this feeling, with nostalgic, muted colour palettes that allow you to be transported to an In-Between Place. Polaroid film has long been a medium long used by artists, but has somewhat been forgotten and thought of as a novelty. Amanda uses the film in a way which brings back its artistic merit. She says “The characteristics of Polaroid and Instant film in general is so beautiful. It is very muted in it’s colour palette, the blacks are soft, and in general the feel of it lends itself beautifully to creating dream like images. It already feels nostalgic, from the past, so when creating images that convey a sense of fantasy, it is the perfect medium. It is hard to work with, a slow film that you need to get to know very well to understand how it reacts to light and conditions. But that is part of the challenge. I want Polaroid film to be taken seriously again. It has its place in the photographic world still, and the flaws and imperfections are just beautiful. The visual characteristics of the film make you feel like you have escaped into another world”.
Amanda Mason graduated from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia with a Bachelor of Arts in 1998. Since then she has worked both as a photographer and designer both in the UK, USA and Australia and now resides between Sydney and NewYork where she is more focused on her artistic practice. She has been exhibited internationally, and is committed to using instant film to create and connect directly with her work. In 2016 she released her first book, “Aphelia”, published through Pryme Editions. Inspired by nature, literature, Surrealism and a place that exists between waking and sleeping. [Official Website]
