Reimagining Our Disconnected Relationship with Nature: The Photographic Essay of Nicholas X Bent"
Text by Oman Morí (@omanmori)
As humanity progresses, our connection with nature has steadily eroded, viewing it more as an unfamiliar entity, in contrast to our ancestors who shared a profound bond with its knowledge, cycles, and dynamics, and held a deep respect for its essence. For those entrenched in metropolitan life, ecological connection often becomes a mere slogan, a distant concern unrelated to our daily lives. Photography is a powerful tool for documenting people and places that may seem distant from our reality, yet still possess a profound and haunting presence.
Canadian photographer Nicholas X Bent's body of work portrays trees as distinct entities, imbued with personalities and a unique appeal. Through manipulation of the camera, using techniques such as long exposure shots, nature is depicted as wild creatures emerging from the shadows. Influenced by pictorialism, Xbent's images aim to evoke a sense of estrangement in viewers, while ultimately seeking to provoke the lost connection with nature that we experience.
"I have sought to find a way to capture these movements and expressions to present a dialogue that entices the viewer to consider the uniqueness, the sentience, and to express the disconnect so prevalent in our culture towards nature," explains Nicholas in his statement.
This longing for interconnectedness with nature is often perceived as a distant dream, a fragment of an unrelated narrative within our collective psyche, despite centuries of intimate and interdependent relations with the natural world. Xbent main goal with these images is "To allow the viewer to connect and feel, to look inward and see the wildness within us – the isolation one feels when they feel like they are the other," states about his project titled "Isolation of Wildness."
Raised in a northern mining town in Ontario, Canada, the artist experienced firsthand the dichotomy of stark, landscapes ravaged by mining operations and pristine forests. Reflecting on his upbringing, Nicholas elaborates unique portraits of trees that seem to emanate from fragmented recollections, resembling a dream of a distant past.
To delve deeper into Nicholas X Bent's vision, one can explore his website or social media.
