Fantastical Photography: featuring Cheryl Maeder
- 23 hours ago
- 3 min read
Enchanted elements in photography represents reality altered, in other words, bending the world to the whims of our very own imagination. A photographer such as Cheryl Maedar introduces mysterious compositions which are modified by lucid colors of form, such as ominous smoke, playful bubbles, or candy-colored attire as well as props. There is merit in observational and documentative reality. But too much of reality can be quite boring, which is why we appreciate when an imaginative artist such as Cheryl Maedar breaks the chains of the mundane and presents us with presentations in lucid experiences.
In terms of mystical power, color is a key element of conceptual conveyance. Nothing quite denotes feelings of altered reality than neon-colored elements which are integrated with naturally-hued environments, such as in Cheryl’s work. Like fine chards of crushed glass, the sparkled elements of tone combined with strategic form, creates an enchanted life and an escape from the mundane aspects of daily tyranny. Enchanted qualities also represents instability of the mind, a motivation to break barriers and shatters rules, because normally most psychologists will tell you ‘boring is good’. Bleak realities become destroyed by fantastical art, especially in photography which literally captures actuality, and in the case of Cheryl Maeder, uses props instead of digital alterations, to create lucid experiences helping us escape the confines of boredom and mundane repetition. In fantastical photography, predictable formulas become destroyed, new meanings are formed from unfamiliar phases.
The key component in Cheryl Maedar’s world is the landscape. Her motivation is to bend the realities of nature to the very whims of her enchanted mind. With a message based in sustainment and the importance of ecology, the artist brings forth smooth ominous planes, such as a poetic forest, a rain-filled pond, a swimming-pool, a nature park, fantastical exotic beaches, sun-drenched Florida streets, and mystical caverns. She then reconfigures and reinterprets these settings with hand–made props, such as balloons, smoke, candy-colored attire, and bubbles, resulting in a child-like wonder. Much in the spirit of science fiction authors, such as Jules Verne, she reimagine natural environments to have extraterrestrial and alien qualities.
Illusory qualities and illusions are an important component of art. Without illusions, we are left with replications of reality or three-dimensional abstractions. Manipulating the minds of our audience, an artist such as Cheryl Maedar is a grand illusionist, in the spirit of fantasy lore. Just like how an illusionist bends the minds of their enemies to fear, frenzy, or charm them into submission, Cheryl uses the power of art, specifically photography to manipulate her audience to feel powerful sensory experiences. The power of illusion is sustained in the ability to capture reality and create forms which influence recognized planes and environments with conceptual means of conveyance.
Much like the fine fibers of satin silk, the lustre and shine of Cheryl’s compositions reveal realms which are evidently portals. Portals into another dimension of fantastical connotations. In this realm, we will find infinite possibilities to redefine art, illusions, and our understanding of perceived reality into planes of mystical sfumato. An ominous presence not fully unexplainable but offers intriguing implications, such as the lucid magical mirror of a powerful sorcerer.
These very fine photographs within Cheryl Maeder’s portfolio reveal how tendencies can be broken, how familiarity can be shattered. Besides the sheer beauty of the photographs, the compositions are portals into fantastical dimensions which enhance reality beyond documentative purposes. Although the works are documentative at the core, in the capturing of raw nature, the artist manipulates her surroundings to have profound meaning beyond the confines of recognized realities. She molds and shapes her environments with not only photography, but also interdisciplinary methods of moving-image and stunning video installations which illuminate gallery walls with planes of mystical projections.
In Cheryl Maedar’s world, she discovers tokens, fragments of recognition and devises a grand plan or scheme to cover her understanding of reality in a luminous veil. The luminosity of her colored smoke, translucent bubbles, hallucinogenic neon-colored props, and mystical droplets of rain create a practice based in enhancing contemporary art with applying external complexities to perceived realities.
