In Darkness Visible for Next level (2008)

We live in times of mass consumerism and unashamed greed, all the while longing for a stolen moment of peace and contentment, the ancient routes to which are long since overgrown with tangled vines of instant gratification and acquisitive temptation. It is telling that in a world of overwhelming sensory possibilities, we find it is often only through exploration of the internal that we can seize a sense of calm, running away from our daily lives to more seductive and exotic locations, in unconscious search for a purity lacking in our everyday surroundings.

However, these escapes are fleeting. A holiday here, a discussion there, a quiet moment in a quiet place; escapes that may not necessarily result in perfection but offer a rare and welcome pause. For many, it is viewing art that serves as the closest form of meditation in modern life. The very idea of such metaphysical transcendence through art is deeply unfashionable, but it is a guilty pleasure that many share, a gift from the past, a whispered folk memory that we choose to conceal but would never dare to relinquish. It is in this realm of symbolic references and signifiers that art can seduce us with whispers, quiet yet affecting, revealing forgotten aspects of the secret language that surrounds us.

Nicolas Hughes’ photographs unashamedly nurture these neglected yet resilient qualities, transforming the symbolic elements within his imagery to emphasise the semiotic content, to be read consciously or unconsciously.

The age of romanticism has passed and, in todays Postmodern society where beauty is avoided over concept, Nicholas Hughes embraces the sentiment, symbolism and poetry of nature. In a creative culture where beauty is often feared, his embrace of these ideals is radical. In some way he may be defined as a ‘Postmodern Romantic’.

Hughes’ photographs strip back the layers of concrete, information, media, noise, aspiration and desire that surround us by literally by paring back the surroundings, to reveal the artistry that the natural environment provides. Hughes omits and edits out the clutter of London parks, then re-assembles and re-layers his exposures, producing exquisite compositions resembling ancient Arcadian forests laden with mystery and enchantment. Nature is liberated and, once again the trees reclaim their authority over the landscape. We are all familiar with the tree, yet the true power of this most ancient and essential of symbols is almost alien. These are the forgotten gods, the tree of life, the bridge to heaven, the bodhi tree, the spirit of the forest, made invisible through neglect and overpowered by towering concrete facsimiles. Their gifts of shelter, warmth and food forgotten, our reliance on nature and our true helplessness beneath the façade of our modern life buried beneath generations. In Hughes eyes, the health of the tree can reflect the state of our whole world, his work presenting a longing for a world of different values; a constant presence upon which the strange fruit of our reckless endeavours hangs in sombre requiem.

In many ways, he is channelling the reimagined paganism of the Victorians, who often used symbols from other cultures, combining many natural references such as plants and trees, which were used in domestic design such as wallpaper and ceramics, thus imbuing the everyday with the divine. By taking the ordinary example of trees in a park and utilising their symbolic nature he alters our reading of them. Just as Millais’ Ophelia - which is flooded with flowers, each and every one placed for allegorical effect - is aesthetically pleasing as well as ingrained with meaning, Hughes crafts his imagery to similar effect. The softness of intertwining branches echo and reverberate against the dim vaporous light source, which is sometimes visible, at other times eluding our gaze. Palettes remain subtle, yet profound, enhancing the importance of silence.

His technique is equally contemplative, consisting of multiple exposures with a 5 x 4 camera. He must reconnect with the landscape in order to photograph it. It is a slow process and one, which must not be rushed. These images however are not what they seem. Moonlit nights are taken by day and the moon is in fact the sun: signifiers of light within the darkness. His images conjure up feelings of solitude. Time spent with this work allows for dreamy musings. We strain to hear a rustle of leaves or the pop of a twig as it breaks. These images serve as an expectant pause for wonder and their strength is in their dreamlike simplicity. Verse I embodies the tone of nature and Hughes’ heartfelt love of it. The perfect accompaniment you might say to illustrate Keats who wrote of ‘Seasons of mists’ in his poem To Autumn. Their atmospheric qualities embody the day with painterly charm.

When reflecting on the cerebral ethereal mood of this work, we are offered time to be still, just as the small pockets of greenery within London allows for calm amongst the burdens of civilisation, a connection back not only to our own past but a connection to a fading artistic language.

Hughes’ concerns are environmental, with the lack of space within towns and cities to enjoy what nature has to offer it is easy to forget the benefits that green spaces provide. He demonstrates with his photographs the realms of possibility within the confines of a city; how magical a pocket of wilderness can be.

Laura Noble
2008