Contrary to the assumption that photography is about representation, pure abstraction in which the notion that something representational must be depicted is rejected in the vast majority of work. The images themselves along with the process of image making are the subject rather than the depiction of something identifiable. Images are shot with the purest of intuition and from a perspective largely influenced by aura occurrences associated with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Auras can produce heightened abstract emotions, affecting the visual field. Perspective becomes distorted and there strangely can be a sensation of a third party presence as if there is something almost “alive” in the scene. Additionally, Déjà vu, where a situation seems familiar and in contrast, Jamais-vu where the familiar becomes alien are relative feelings that can be very strong and very personal, and on occasion blissful. Colors become language-like, as though there is a heightened sense of subtle separation where you can almost read them in tone and graduation. Aside from the altered visual experience, sound may become distorted as well. Local sounds can become blanketed as if in a film clip where actual audio has been overlaid or replaced with a soundtrack enhancing the aesthetic experience; distant sounds may become amplified as though nearby. The work is grouped in collections for aesthetic reasons but also, as the auras can be prolonged producing a set of thoughts and sensations that strongly relate to each other—an essay develops. Concepts and meanings in words that might invigorate the imagination, or perhaps for the intellect alone are explored which enhance the imagery; sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between the two. While the experience with auras, is not always evident in the result, it is irrefutably connected in the process of creation.
ABOUT: MITCHELL
“I am searching for those slow motion frames from the mislaid footage of our lives, those elongated experiences we lost or slept through, echoes of memories, some thing in the mist of personal history, the blinkered image, the half frame peep beyond the curtain, it’s almost audible; the sound of snow—slightly deaf in one eye”, says Mitchell.
Immersion into the artist’s abstracted and mesmerizing imagery may be equated to visually experiencing ambient sound; in much of his work he engages senses beyond sight. It may not be the factual world we envision through the artist’s eyes nor lens, but what we experience through his introspective mind which is so compelling. He transports us to a realm of contrasts within which we find ourselves between definition and uncertainty; past, present and future; reality and the imaginary; even life and death. In his work these opposites coexist in a paranormal state as we are transported to a limbo where the unreal becomes real, the subliminal becomes obvious and disturbance becomes peripheral. In this semi-conscious disconnect he imposes; the amorphous becomes transformed to a clear and tranquil reality. Although the creative process for Mitchell has been inherent throughout his fashion and commercial career, it is in his fine art work that he reaches a higher level of aesthetic and conceptual thinking to which both his imagery and titles are testament. His inspiration is internally and externally environmental. Some years ago he was diagnosed with a neurological condition associated with aura oriented seizures which can create a temporary altered state of consciousness. In these episodes his physical and mental awareness can become intensified and dimmed concurrently. The onset of this condition has enhanced his sensory perception denoting a pivotal point in his career. We all may be memory collectors from our plastic camera holidays but behind the lens there are those of us who take pictures and those of us who are artists. Undeniably when Mitchell is behind the lens, he is a consummate artist. Lynn Dunham
BIO: MITCHELL
Mitchell’s photography career started in the early eighties in London, Florence and Milan. In 1991 he moved to Hong Kong where he found instant success shooting for prestigious fashion labels including Christian Dior and Laura Biagiotti. He worked almost exclusively in black & white, creating a unique signature style with conscious echoes of Jacques-Henri Lartigue.
His international reputation growing quickly, Mitchell was engaged to shoot editorial for the very top international fashion magazines: Vogue and Elle. He was also a pioneer in Asia as the first successful foreign photographer on the dynamic Thai fashion scene, shooting extensively for top publications. His work became recognized by the advertising industry and he continued to expand into the commercial world and built up a considerable roster of clients such as Singapore Airlines, Mercedes-Benz, Sony, Hong Kong Bank, Ericsson. As imitators clamored to emulate his classic styling in stills, he segued to explore the moving image in both personal and commercial work through film. He welcomed the opportunity to direct projects for the National Kidney Foundation in Singapore which dealt with severe disability and terminal illness in children. He was also invited to be the Director of Photography to shoot the Royal Thai Anti Drugs campaigns as his interest in working in the fashion industry due to its superficiality dwindled. In the mid nineties beginning to diversify into the fine art arena, he received requests from private collectors interested in his fine art works at which point he began to shoot in color more frequently and he continues in this vein today continuing to develop a body of work considered highly collectable. This work has now been made available to a wider audience after exhibitions in Shanghai and Singapore. Having sold out many of the older collections of early work his more contemporary print work is now available in strictly limited editions. The artist divides his time between his homes in Bangkok and Singapore, energized by the dynamism and color of the region.
CV: MITCHELL EXHIBITIONS 2003 Bund 18Shanghai 2003 Gendela Gallery, The Esplanade Singapore 2004 The America Club Singapore 2004 The Photographers Gallery Singapore 2008 Bloom Bangkok 2009 The Natural History Museum Vienna 2009 NEOCON World Trade’s Fair Chicago 2009 Surface Library Gallery, Textures, Springs, NY
CLIENT LIST 20th Century Fox De Beers Diamonds Vogue Magazine Elle Magazine Christian Dior Laura Biagiotti Kei Ito Bund 18 Shanghai Singapore Airlines Citibank Ericsson SonyBank of Indonesia DBS Bank Banyan Tree Hotels Bangkok Phuket Maldives Oriental Hotel Shangri-La Hotel Metropolitan
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Royal Thai Anti Drugs campaign Film Director: NKF, Singapore Film Director: Central Department Store Film Director: Homeland Securities, Singapore Film Director: Kei Ito designer; short film project Filer Director: Bund 18 young fashion designers, Shanghai Managing Director: Yo-Yo Film Productions Pte Ltd Managing Director: David Mitchell Photography Film Director: Two Oceans Productions, Singapore Managing Director: Addspin Pte Ltd, Singapore Managing Director: Suekai.com Pte Ltd.
Excerpted from East Hampton Star, Jennifer Landes Mr. Mitchell’s photographs are clearly the stars of the show, although it is almost too easy to like their showy, filmy beauty. What makes them more intriguing is the puzzle of abstraction they present. If they are straightforward film photographs, what was the original subject and how far removed are we? It often seems as if he has managed to capture pure atmosphere in his “Linear” series. Yet in another example, “Window 3" f
David M Mitchell
po box 177
Rancocas NJ 08073
New York, NY
New York
North America
