Cob Gallery

Walter & Zoniel | Call Of The Idyll | Catalogue

Cob Gallery is pleased to present photographic series, Call Of The Idyll by critically acclaimed artist duo, Walter & Zoniel, who have been collaborating and exhibiting internationally since 2008. Multidisciplinary in their practice, they work within the mediums of sculpture, photography, film and performance as a means to intimately reflect on themes such as; the relationship between humans and nature, the cosmos, science, and perceived ‘reality'. Preoccupied with authentically capturing the life of the subject, Walter & Zoniel are known for their application of scientific process and pioneering of the modern development of early photographic techniques.

Continuing in the tradition of Formationism, a self coined term- whereby concept and process are equally present- Walter & Zoniel’s most recent series, Call Of The Idyll, plays with the perception of serenity we associate with the traditional pastoral landscape. In an era of image overload, the duo’s persistent experimentations with the photographic image engages with a very current poignancy, and this series in particular, in it’s recognition of the idealised relationship we have with the idyllic nature of the countryside, highlights the allure of escapism.

Staining silver gelatine prints with hand coloured saturated pigment, the resulting images read somewhere between the familiar and the surreal, and through this dreamlike,extension of reality, challenges the ability of the photograph to fully immerse and evoke the viewer. In their subverted and exaggerated state, the works possess an animated quality reminiscent of Japanese woodblock printing technique, Ukiyo-e. The use of clear outlines and bold compositions and colours, combined with a focus on atmosphere rather than an accurate observation of nature, forge a similar narrative and process to the ancient technique.