Visions of Nature
My goal in creating these visuals has been to apply Viktor Shklovsky’s concept of defamiliarization (Russian: Ostranenie) regarding the role of art. Art should strive to present the familiar in unexpected ways, thereby provoking new understandings of colors, textures, and shapes within artistic expression. Shklovsky introduced the notion of “defamiliarization” in his 1917 essay “Art as Technique” (also known as “Art as Device”). He was a prominent figure in the Russian Formalism movement, which emphasized the techniques and devices utilized in literature. Shklovsky contended that habitual perception or “automatization” can dull our senses and lead us to take things for granted. By disrupting this routine through defamiliarization, we aim to refresh our perception and view the world with renewed awe and attention. This technique serves as a potent tool for artists seeking to create engaging and thought-provoking artwork that challenges viewers’ perceptions while encouraging them to see reality from a different perspective.
The images within this series are primarily abstract, crafted through a personal post-production process. (Note: No AI involved.) Alongside Schklovsky’s ideas, I have drawn inspiration from Abstract Expressionism and artists such as Vassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and Jackson Pollock.
