Walton Ford, Condemned, 2006.
Walton Ford is an American artist who makes prints in the similar style as John James Audubon and his naturalist illustrators. His prints each convey a careful examination of animal or plants structures in the style of early naturalists, however, he also includes a clue or joke along with the images. He describes his work as "a sort of attraction-repulsion, where the stuff is beautiful to begin with until you notice that some sort of horrible violence is about to happen or is in the middle of happening.”
While he is staying faithful to the realistic nature of the natural history mode in which his images imitate, his inclusion of clues and hints often relate to many various topics of discussion, such as imperialism, conservation and consumption, and even war.
His inclusion of text, sometimes taken from historic writings (always out of context), allots for further comic inputs.
The text in this image reads, "I wish that you all had one neck and that I had my hands on it" which is a quote from Serial Killer Carl Panzram.
http://www.paulkasmingallery.com/artists/walton-ford
Posted by Ricky Peters
Walton Ford is an American artist who makes prints in the similar style as John James Audubon and his naturalist illustrators. His prints each convey a careful examination of animal or plants structures in the style of early naturalists, however, he also includes a clue or joke along with the images. He describes his work as "a sort of attraction-repulsion, where the stuff is beautiful to begin with until you notice that some sort of horrible violence is about to happen or is in the middle of happening.”
While he is staying faithful to the realistic nature of the natural history mode in which his images imitate, his inclusion of clues and hints often relate to many various topics of discussion, such as imperialism, conservation and consumption, and even war.
His inclusion of text, sometimes taken from historic writings (always out of context), allots for further comic inputs.
The text in this image reads, "I wish that you all had one neck and that I had my hands on it" which is a quote from Serial Killer Carl Panzram.
http://www.paulkasmingallery.com/artists/walton-ford
Posted by Ricky Peters