Nicholas Hughes U.K., 1963
Field [Verse I], no. 1 , 2008
Chromogenic photograph mounted on aluminium
Signed by the artist, on verso
Signed by the artist, on verso
Different sizes available
© Nicholas Hughes
This artwork emerges from the artist's two-year immersion in England's remote southwest, where he restricted himself to photographing only what was accessible by foot. Here, Nicholas Hughes transforms the field...
This artwork emerges from the artist's two-year immersion in England's remote southwest, where he restricted himself to photographing only what was accessible by foot. Here, Nicholas Hughes transforms the field of vision into a powerful meditation on humanity's relationship with nature.
The red sun and dark clouds create a painterly effect that speaks to both Romantic tradition and contemporary environmental concerns. These atmospheric elements reflect Hughes' exploration of isolation and detachment, while the field symbolises humanity's first attempts to colonise wilderness for material gain.
The work embodies Hughes' philosophical stance that artists must withdraw from the world to better attend to it. By focusing intensely on this single field, Hughes creates what he sees as an allegory in three parts - investigating our past to understand our future. The resulting image navigates the friction between our idea of the wilderness and the realities of an overdeveloped world, offering a contemplative space where natural elements transcend their literal representation.
The red sun and dark clouds create a painterly effect that speaks to both Romantic tradition and contemporary environmental concerns. These atmospheric elements reflect Hughes' exploration of isolation and detachment, while the field symbolises humanity's first attempts to colonise wilderness for material gain.
The work embodies Hughes' philosophical stance that artists must withdraw from the world to better attend to it. By focusing intensely on this single field, Hughes creates what he sees as an allegory in three parts - investigating our past to understand our future. The resulting image navigates the friction between our idea of the wilderness and the realities of an overdeveloped world, offering a contemplative space where natural elements transcend their literal representation.