Artist Statement
In my photo, I show how ugly the truth can be. It is often covered up by the media and replaced with half-truths and understatements, especially surrounding the issues of plastic in landfills and oceans. I created my work by using garbage—various pieces of plastics that I found in garbage cans or on the street. I develop a new sense of what makes images beautiful. Beauty in images generally pertains to their compositions of where things physically are in the photo. But in my work, by lowering the contrast, using asymmetry, bland colours, and props made out of plastics, I broke from this norm and created a photo that stands out for all the ‘wrong reasons’. That’s the hidden beauty behind my image—the use of unconventional props, unpopular filters, and settings, I make the image seem plain and unattractive. It brings the audience here, to the hidden meaning behind my work focusing on the ugly truth and how the media influences our perspectives every day.
Place a bid on Aksel Naylor’s print in the online auction here.
