“I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that our perceived reality is shaped by our minds and reflecting our inner world,” says artist Michelle Blancke, whose ethereal photographs of trees, glens, and foliage invite us into a familiar yet uncanny world. Her lens-based practice explores themes of interdependence, consciousness, and concealment, especially through the subject of nature.
Blancke’s vivid Secret Garden series comprises a total of five sub-categories: Realm, Ascent, Essence, Veins, and Origin. Whether capturing the waxy surface of an intricately veined leaf or the way vines create shadowy veils over gnarled trees, she’s interested in relationships between “transformation, mysticism, and the thin veil between the seen and the unseen,” she says. “When I enter woodland, it feels like stepping into a parallel space where something hidden becomes perceptible.”
Much of Blancke’s process involves walking—moving through forested areas until a certain atmosphere or interaction with sunlight resonates with her. “When I photograph, I’m responding to that feeling rather than to the literal scene in front of me,” she says.
It’s during digital post-production that Blancke begins to make more deliberate choices, shifting hues “to amplify the emotional tone I sensed in the moment,” she says. “The colours are a way of revealing an inner layer that already felt present while I was standing there. It’s an attempt to make the invisible atmosphere visible.”
Blancke’s work is on view through January 25 as part of the 2025 Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition at York Art Gallery. She also works closely with BBA Gallery. Explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
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