OF FIRE, FAR SHINING
Asheville-based artist J. A. Young combines their own personal photographs with public-domain archival imagery to explore their reaction to inward experiences. Inspired by a pivotal moment in 2020, the work reflects on existential questions and global crises. Through print manipulation and rephotography, the project creates a fluid, ever-evolving visual narrative that mirrors the artist's shifting perceptions and emotions.
Photography J.A. Young
In OF FIRE, FAR SHINING, J.A. Young offers a profound exploration of personal and collective experiences through a unique blend of photography and archival imagery. This work transcends traditional artistic boundaries, creating a visual narrative that is as fluid and dynamic as the emotions and ideas it seeks to express.
The creative process behind this project is deeply personal and rooted in a journey of introspection and discovery. In 2020, the artist experienced a pivotal moment that led him to reexamine his understanding of existence, diving into mysticism and reassessing their ontological framework—their view of being and reality. This period of intense self-reflection coincided with a growing awareness of the broader crisis facing our world, from environmental degradation driven by corporate greed to the violence of the U.S. Military Industrial Complex and the ideologies that perpetuate these destructive forces.
This convergence of personal and universal turmoil became the fertile ground from which OF FIRE, FAR SHINING emerged. Rather than adhering to a specific theme or concept, the artist approached each image as part of an evolving landscape, one that mirrors their shifting perceptions and emotional responses to the world around them. The use of physical print experimentation, recomposition, and rephotography allowed for the creation of images that are not static, but rather living expressions of an ongoing journey.
The work reflects a palpable sense of unease, anticipation, and transformation. There is a tension within the images, as if something unseen and potentially menacing is lurking just out of view, waiting to emerge. This tension mirrors the artist’s confrontation with the unsettling truths of our time, capturing the strange, cataclysmic nature of our era—a moment that philosopher Terence McKenna aptly described as “the end of history.”
Ultimately, it offers a glimpse into a world that is both frightening and full of potential for transformation, encapsulated within a series of images that invite viewers to contemplate the complexities of existence in our time. As a monograph of this work is set to be published in September 2024, the collection promises to be a significant contribution to contemporary art, providing insight into the artist’s journey and the broader cultural landscape they inhabit.
“The images that comprise OF FIRE, FAR SHINING marked my path as I waded through these bewildering experiences and events.”
About J. A. Young
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