There are many levels of consciousness in the human mind, whether physical, spiritual or esoteric. Philosophers, scientists and artists have long tried to understand these varying states – categorising and calculating our responses to wider environmental stimuli. In an age of Artificial Intelligence, these questions are more pertinent than ever, deciphering the experience of “being.” What constitutes the wider idea of the self? How do we discern our true motives? Can identities be reduced to a series of electrical signals? Gabriel Isak (b. 1990) is a Swedish photographer who taps into this complex pool of ideas and philosophies, digging into the subconscious through dreamscapes that are rich in symbolism. Every composition is melancholic and introspective – anonymous figures are trapped on isolated shores or in Black Mirror-esque rooms. Isak has exhibited at Cannery Gallery, San Francisco; Museum of Modern Art, Stockholm; and M Contemporary, Sydney. gabrielisak.com.
Gabriel Isak, Into the Black. Courtesy of the artist. Gabriel Isak, Duality. Courtesy of the artist. Gabriel Isak, Two Moons. Courtesy of the artist. Gabriel Isak, Duality. Courtesy of the artist. Gabriel Isak, The Girl and the shadow. Courtesy of the artist. Gabriel Isak, Prisoner. Courtesy of the artist. Gabriel Isak, The Flight. Courtesy of the artist.
