You must’ve visited many photo galleries and marveled at the clarity and depth of photographs. Some photos may even seem to leap out of their frames, creating a visual delight. However, here’s an artist called Chris Engman, who creates large-scale installations that can be entered by its viewers! Foxed? Here’s how he does it…
Engman transfers natural landscapes, such as deserts, waterfalls, cliffs, caves and much else on the walls, ceilings, and floors in the form of large-scale photographs. This allows the viewers to not only view his creations from a distance but actually enter it. His first installation, titled ‘Containment’, is one such recent work.
Engman, who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington, Seattle, USA and Master of Fine Arts from the University of Southern California, Roski School of Fine Arts, told Colossal, “I believe photography derives its power precisely from the fact it can’t be entered, however much we may want to. When I make photographs, I try to be mindful of this, even to exploit it.”
Creating an installation like ‘Containment’ is not easy. Even though it seems like a singular photograph, in reality, it’s a collage of over 300 individual prints applied to the surface of the walls. According to Engman, once the viewer ‘penetrates’ the work, it makes the photographed landscape “appear increasingly warped and unreal”.
Engman has many solo exhibitions to his credit and has won many awards for his outstanding creations. His works are displayed in many art galleries and museums in the US and outside.
Chris Engman: Website
