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Inspired by dioramas of wild flora and fauna found in natural history museums, Jim Naughten's digital reimaginations of a familiar yet alien world, explore the idea of wildlife becoming a lost fantasy. From orangutans swinging through psychedelic forests, to deer roaming pastel-hued canyons-Naughten's depictions of nature in an artificial color palette convey a distinct sense of dislocation and growing estrangement. His fantastical tableaus question our rose-tinted image of a natural world that is largely fictional. In fact we are entering the Eremozoic-a term coined by biologist and writer E. O. Wilson to describe the current era of mass extinction triggered by human activity. Also referred to as "The Age of Loneliness," the term alludes to the isolation that will follow the destruction of our deeply rooted relationships with other species.
JIM NAUGHTEN (*1969, Horsham, Sussex) explores historical and natural history subject matters using photography, stereoscopy, and painting. Trained in both photography and painting, the London-based artist combines these backgrounds in a practice he refers to as "digital painting". Treating photographs like oil paintings on canvas, he uses digital enhancement to alter reality.
Summary
Inspired by dioramas of wild flora and fauna found in natural history museums, Jim Naughten’s digital reimaginations of a familiar yet alien world, explore the idea of wildlife becoming a lost fantasy. From orangutans swinging through psychedelic forests, to deer roaming pastel-hued canyons—Naughten’s depictions of nature in an artificial color palette convey a distinct sense of dislocation and growing estrangement. His fantastical tableaus question our rose-tinted image of a natural world that is largely fictional. In fact we are entering the Eremozoic—a term coined by biologist and writer E. O. Wilson to describe the current era of mass extinction triggered by human activity. Also referred to as “The Age of Loneliness,” the term alludes to the isolation that will follow the destruction of our deeply rooted relationships with other species.
JIM NAUGHTEN (*1969, Horsham, Sussex) explores historical and natural history subject matters using photography, stereoscopy, and painting. Trained in both photography and painting, the London-based artist combines these backgrounds in a practice he refers to as “digital painting”. Treating photographs like oil paintings on canvas, he uses digital enhancement to alter reality.
Additional text
»The artist Jim Naughten manipulates museum displays and photographs to make a statement about man’s alienation from nature.«
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»The artist Jim Naughten manipulates museum displays and photographs to make a statement about man's alienation from nature.« The Sunday Times Magazine 20221127
