Morphological Transformation from Photography to Painting

 



I was looking through my portraiture photos when one I had taken in Paris, in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral brought back memories. It was in 2009 and I was carrying a Mamiya 645 around my neck.



 I wondered how it would translate through my past decade’s painting style.


So, I started with a preserved wild rabbit skin


Then let my imagination transform the young French woman with a beret into a Southwestern middle-aged model. Somehow my focus was on the pensive look the Paris photo had once attracted me.


Slowly the transformation took place


At this point, I wanted a monochrome painting, but could not resist adding a few turquoise stones, a few Javelina (Peccaries) hairs en guise of diadem, and a raven feather to extend the dark, undulating hair of my model.



The final portrait ended up with a lot of character, mainly due to the natural texture of the hide which I allowed to manifest by wetting the “canvas” as I was painting. 

As in previous works, I enjoy the challenge of comparing how my photographer’s eyes see a person, and how my imagination transforms them when I wear my painter’s hat (or beret!).

 

July 23, 2023

© Vahé Kazandian, 2023


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