subscribeAstroboy Unbound
Photography by Naomi Pitcairn
The photographs of Naomi Pitcairn’s Empty Nest series remind us that deconstruction is immanent. That inherent in all possibility is also the inevitable demise. These packages, once disembodied, cease to hold it together.
Take Astroboy. He is first seen forward facing, standing at attention, full of potential. But when next spotted he has become Icarus, back now turned away, heading towards his destiny. How quickly promise can turn into ambitious defeat. Fated, singed by aspiration he floats away untethered on his space walk into the sunset.
Initially designed to preserve and protect, a few of these leftovers possess a built in means to inflict injury. Child endangerment is a congenital condition for some. And other remains just clearly communicate what’s gone missing. In this world of discards there are Power outages, Happy Little Homes have been vacated and Foil Families are broken apart. Even rainbows can come to a crushing end. Creased and pressed like a Chamberlain sculpture these containers that once held a “somewhere over” commodity now reflect upon a slightly more compact finish. — Nancy Cantwell
Please click to enlarge for titles.
All photographs, 15″x15″, Ink Jet prints on Hahnemule fine art paper, 2008-2009
© Naomi Pitcairn
