The infinite universe by Patty Maher

Throughout her work, Yayoi Kusama uses polka dots as a metaphor for giving up personal identity and becoming one with the universe.

“Far beyond the reaches of the universe,” she says, “infinity is trying to communicate with us” and it reaches out through her work as an infinite series of polka dots. This staged photography series is an exploration of the themes that run throughout Kusama’s work. In this series, female figures are clothed, covered or somehow encased in polka dots.  In each photo the identity of the figure is intentionally obscured, blocked or moved out of frame while the motif of polka dots gives indication of the larger forces at play within these micro universes.  This series explores the idea that our human identity is both intertwined and intrinsically linked to a cosmological identity and that we, as mere dots in the universe, are a very small part of a much larger entity that exists concurrently within and outside of us.

About Patty Maher

Patty Maher is an internationally recognized, award winning fine art photographer and artist based in Caledon, Ontario, Canada.  The inspiration for her art comes from an exploration of the feminine in the context of both natural and urban settings.  Working primarily through staged portraiture and self-portraiture Maher is widely known for hiding or obscuring the faces of her subjects often only using only posture, gesture, symbol and colour to convey emotion and story.  Maher explores the inner worlds of her subjects while at the same time considering notions of personal space, boundaries of identity and the relationship of the individual to the larger world. Her goal with each photo and series is to create pieces that disrupt the boundaries between real life and the otherworldly;  the surreal and the commonplace.   In the telling of visual stories she invites the viewer to become a co-creator in meaning, leaving the stories open ended but touching on basic and universal emotions.

Patty Maher was born in Toronto and completed undergraduate and graduate degrees in English Literature at the University of Guelph.  Her work as a fine art photographer began in 2010 and since then has been featured on bookcovers and recognized in numerous online and print publications around the world including a video interview with Yahoo Productions created for the series “The Weekly Flickr”.  Patty has also received recognition in prestigious photography contests including the PX3 Prie de la Photography Paris, Moscow International Foto Awards, Tokyo Foto Awards, the International Color Awards and the International Photography Awards. Maher’s work is known internationally and sold throughout the world. [Official Website]