June 26, 2024 |
Now on view at Brixton’s Photofusion gallery, the biospheric work of esteemed artist duo Luke and Nik (Luke Norman and Nik Adam) has been collated into an expressive exhibition. Entitled, Reconstructed Nature: The Collaborative Process, the display, running from now until July 20, marks the inaugural solo showcase of the pair’s work, and will take place concurrently to another solo exhibition at Oblong in Copenhagen, opening June 27 to August 10.
Developing their signature style of cut-and-paste-like photography in the years since they met in 2007 while studying at the University of the Creative Art, the duo consistently demonstrate an air of playfulness and joy through their work. In tandem with each other, Luke and Nik’s catalogue sets out to stimulate dialogue between nature and the senses. Their distinct aesthetic oozes vivid colour and lush vitality as they manipulate images by splicing and taping things together, creating stunning compositions of nature. Now, with a Stella McCartney campaign, a Nike campaign and Highsnobiety x Puma design credit, under their collective belt, it’s clear that their work cannot be boxed in. Operating across the realms of moving-image, portraiture, fashion and collage, the multidisciplinary duo are constantly presenting the public with new and innovative techniques that transcend the bounds of traditional photography.
The most unique aspect of the exhibition is that the artistic pair hope to give back to their community of young artists, with the aim of the display being to inspire and empower. They intend to break down the barriers that restrict new generations of artists from achieving success, setting out to nurture openness and inclusivity rather than gate-keeping, pay their success forward and work against the barriers that young artists may be experiencing. The exhibition opens alongside the release of a new photobook presented as an enticing Japanese bifold wherein each page is perforated so that the reader has the option to rip them out and perhaps recreate the displays in their own home.
“The exhibitions and corresponding events present an exciting opportunity for us as practitioners to share our work and creative processes with a wider audience,” they comment. “Reconstructed Nature explores themes of collaboration and viewer hierarchy, allowing visitors to engage with our work first-hand and continue this dialogue with new audiences through Photofusion and Oblong in London and Copenhagen.”
Curator Jessica Wan describes developing the show as a “deeply nourishing process”. She says that the exhibition is an odyssey from personal reflections to imaginative expressions with her aim being to inspire audiences to reconnect with nature in an increasingly synthetic world.
A must-see for anyone interested in contemporary arts, photography and the endless possibilities of collaborative creation, with Reconstructed Nature: The Collaborative Process, Luke and Nik explore and share the elements of their process and demonstrate how neither time nor distance can stunt great art.
Photography by Luke and Nik.
