nico van Dongen on Fstoppers

nicovandongen.com

“If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things through' narrow chinks of his cavern.”
― William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

Name of Exhibit: Concerning Trees
Year: Spring 2020
Location: Golden Gate Park
A photographic exploration of trees and vistas in Golden Gate park in San Francisco, CA. Each photograph is a combination of multiple exposures, layered as one image, producing evocative results.

“What captures our interest varies over time”.

In the real world, we absorb scenes around us with our senses, as our attention constantly shifts. The camera is used as an instrument not to replicate what the eye observes, but the refractions of light camera captures. What seizes attention at first glance in my photographs, might change with a closer observation. When we shift our gaze, we can see the connection between space and time in a two dimensional plane.

In my notes I have it was a 6 week shoot, yes?
It all started with the trees, it all went fluid a quick. Yes, I had lost of new work within six weeks in and still creating more new work.

You mentioned years of shooting to get here... How did the intention to begin the project come about? Did you have a specific intention you wanted to