591 Exhibiton: Barrot Rendleman - Alien Worlds




There is so much beauty in the alien world of the Aquarium, there is light reflecting and illuminating the strange creatures. It could be us as Barrot suggests. The backside of the story is the almost impossible task to break the glass.

I wonder if there is someone watching us. Barrot's reflective words about the exhibition are thoughtprovoking. I have found many favourites pictures in this wonderful series- I will watch them over and over again. - Mr Urbano

This series, Alien Worlds, was shot on a few trips to the Tennessee Aquarium here in Chattanooga. I was inspired by the photographs of Wayne Levin, more specifically his series Resident Spirits, and the works of Stefan Simikich. I had actually gone there to imitate them, but what I found was something all together different. I saw these strange creatures emerging out of a darkness, in a simulated environment, wandering aimlessly trying to find some hint of the "world" they had come from. But still, it seemed alien to them. And how alien it is to us also, to live in the sea; to breathe water. Then the absurdity of it sort of hit me. How the observed lives (the fish) and the observing lives (us) are both plunged into alien worlds, set behind glass, plunged into false light and ghostly shadows... and I'm still not all that clear on the reasons why. 


These photographs are my attempt to represent what I encountered on those visits to such a strange and eerie place. I have also tried to represent the grace of these creatures who, despite being in a sort of prison, still convey a bit of the mystery and awe of life in the wild... if not in actuality then at least in the evolutionary echoes that are inherent in both their form and their movement.

My name is Barrot Rendleman, 34 years old, and I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the US of A. I've been practicing my photography for about three years now. I started as a creative break from writing and it has just grown and grown. I have to shoot every day now.

Photos and text © Barrot Rendleman

Comments

Rhonda Boocock said…
Thought-provoking series! I'll never look at the aquarium quite the same way again!
paulboo said…
Wonderful pictures and so thought provoking - just who is watching who?
Like aliens from another world - so close and yet so far away!
I love this waterworld!
Michael W said…
I love the sometimes abstract feeling!
Anonymous said…
this is a most wonderful and beautiful series. and the words that are associated bring a depth to them that is beyond there own inherent meaning.
br said…
great concept and images!!
Balogh Anita said…
...so beautiful,so effective!Great!
Mikael said…
Nice work indeed