Nicholas Hughes, Field [Verse I], no. 1 , 2008

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.

Item added to cart

Nicholas Hughes U.K., 1963

Terms and Conditions

Cookie preferences

Join our mailing list

Interests *

Nicholas Hughes U.K., 1963