ANNA POGOSSOVA
Still Life, a term usually associated with painters, sculptors and illustrators, has begun to see resurgence and given fresh new life. No longer reserved for the art world alone, masterful Still Life works are being explored in the most innovative way by a new breed of photographers. At the forefront of this renaissance is Russian born, Australian based artist and photographer Anna Pogossova. Anna, 27, describes her work as ‘Pop Surrealism’ which is fitting considering the alternation of different film techniques, combinations of soft painterly pastels and bright synthetics allowing her to create ethereal and enhanced versions of ordinary objects.
“It’s light hearted, but in some ways I approach image making as a Surrealist might, assuming there is an element of the unseen to everything which can be unlocked, and even the most ordinary things have the potential to become otherworldly… It’s a nice way of thinking about everyday objects. It’s also a bit funny and absurd and that’s the reality of what I do,” explains Anna.
In a typically Surrealist fashion, Anna was drawn to photography through her interest in psychoanalysis and the philosophical side of capturing images. “I wanted to know why people felt compelled to create images as I did and what that may reveal about our collective imagination… I wasn’t interested in photography at first, and I wasn’t great at it, but through studying art I began to see its importance as a vehicle of cultural fantasy. It’s a fascinating technology, which seems to always be linked to the otherworldly in one way or another.”
Growing up in Russia, a world intrinsically different from that of Australian, has definitely had a profound impact on Anna’s artistic style and inspirations. “It was a really interesting place to live where spaceflight, religious ideologies and folk superstition converged,”
says Anna. “I think it has made me very open to the possibility of anything and everything really. I’m especially interested in the ways in which these are communicated through science fiction and mythology.” Anna’s exposure to such a unique array of ideologies reveals itself through her otherworldly and mythical shots, capable of transporting the viewer to another plane of existence.
Anna’s most recent exhibition Still/ Life constructs an alternate mythology through the use of culturally recognizable iconography such as the heavenly clouds, pillars and sculptures. “They are familiar motifs but on their own they can be quite puzzling,” explains Anna. “I wanted to look at the close relationship between contemporary Still Life photography and its traditional painting predecessors.”
Between working for some of Australia’s most iconic magazines, such as Oyster, Anna still finds the time to work on several personal projects. “I have started a new series which is similar to the last one in some ways, but I’m employing a different mythology this time around. It’s a bit more science fiction than surrealism,” says Anna. “I’m also in between a few new side projects – A landscape series and several collaborations. All completely different and very fun new areas for me to discover.”
On the meticulously crafted work involved in Still Life photography, Anna explains, “I ended up just falling into (Still Life photography) and I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do. It’s very much a labour of love and if it’s not really your thing it can drive you insane. I think there are fewer constraints in Still Life and a lot more control for me as a photographer than in fashion or portraiture. It’s pure fiction. You can suspend disbelief and have a lot of fun with it, creating little worlds… I enjoy constructing fantasies and I love the way objects can become hyper-real when you layer a number of technologies.”
Employing unexpected juxtapositions and an element of surprise, examining the intrinsic link between traditional art and photography, Anna’s work above all else is part of a revolution in the world of photography.
All images courtesy of Anna Pogossova
Published in PITCH Zine Issue# 11, September 2012