Reuben Wu’s (b. 1975) images are instantly recognisable. The artist is a National Geographic photographer, and he is known for painting with light. Wu uses drones and long exposures to draw halos around mountains, or render glowing geometric shapes above landscapes, including glaciers, deserts and salt flats. He is driven by a desire to show familiar scenes from an alternative perspective. The new series Thin Places and SIREN are the latest contributions to that goal. Shimmering white veils drop down from the sky, creating the illusion of a barrier between worlds. These series mark a new direction for Wu. “Whilst my other work features decisive lines, these forms surrender to their environment.” Patterns are shaped not only by human hands, but by natural phenomena – including waves washing up on the shoreline. The compositions are eerily tactile; you almost want to reach out and touch the soft fabric, or to peel it back to see what lies behind the curtain. reubenwu.com
All images: Image courtesy of Reuben Wu.
