Vanitas

Vanitas is a 2015 project born as a tribute to the 1600’s painting style and, in particular, to the themes of human frailty and the passing of beauty. The dark tones and the repeated use of the same stage objects melt into an obsessive research of composition: keeping me busy for many hours inside my studio, this project transformed in some sort of lonely cruise around the dramas of the human condition. Most of the images were realized with the light-painting technique, in a completely dark room, and some represent a tribute to the most famous paintings of the 1600’s period, such as “still life with a skull” by Philippe de Champaigne (1671).
This collection, that at the moment counts more than 65 images, kept Tristan Dark’s atelier busy for many months in the research and/or making of the stage objects, and heavily tested my personal commitment when I started using little dead animals found on the countryside roads surrounding the studio. A “sacrifice” I well accepted in order to celebrate the only constant element in every living creature’s life: death.


Skull Crucifix Spider Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0239
Tristan Dark Dead Bird Book Photo DSC 7843
Skull with Greek statue, bones and books
Candle Porcupine Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0248
Skull Violin Reflection Metalsphere Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0210
Dead Hare Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 1046
Skull Dead Bird Candle Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0101
Skull Books Dead Bird Candles Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 6422
Shells Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0753
Violin Music Instruments Chinese Plate Candle Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0288
Dead Bird Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0223
Tulip Flower Clessydre Skull Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0295
Tristan Dark Dry Lemon Flies DSC 1015
Skull Books Candle Holder Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0022
Tristan Dark Erinaceus Europaeus Hedgehog Still Life Animal DSC 0875
Skull Church Bones Books Bubbles Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0177
Skulls Candle Smoke Rose Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0067
Tristan Dark Vanitas Bubbles Beetle Nautilus Shells Box Painting Photography DSC4722
Skull Bubbles Laurel Leaves Flute Tristan Dark Vanitas DSC 0537