02.08.11

Photographer - Scott Rhea

Photographer: Scott Rhea

There is something utterly transfixing about American photographer Scott Rhea’s images. It’s the meeting of two ideas: the mundane and the otherworldly, the resulting images being both ethereal and serene. However, the set was created in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, inspired by dreams during the floods, that produce a haunting juxtaposition between the placid, calm imagery and the chaotic subject matter.

To me, the weightlessness of these photos gives that ‘running underwater’ feeling that often occurs in dreams; a state of helplessness and imposed inertia where you are forever caught in a moment. The title ‘An Inevitable Consequence’ lends itself to this idea; that New Orleans was building up to unavoidable tragedy, the type where time seems to slow down and the world is helpless but to watch. At the heart of these photos, however, the focus is still on the clothes. Underwater photography creates innovative and interesting ways to view clothing. With the light reflecting through the water, the fluidity and movement of the materials is highlighted in a way that is aesthetically beautiful to look at. Ultimately, these photos represent escapism.

They create another world of peace, silence and tranquillity for a time that was torn apart by devastation.

Posted by Lauren Whitehead

Tags: fashion fashion156 daily blog photographer photographer Scott Rhea