“To live for a time in their world has changed mine forever.”
~Tim Cushan
In his provocative photographic essay, “Elephant Skin,” Australian photographer Tim Cushan takes us on a mythical journey. Documenting the delicate balance between animals, humans and the planet we share, the artist reveals the many ways in which we are interrelated. This emotional and character-driven study offers a doorway into a world where we can explore subconscious symbolism and our archetypal connection to these ancient animals though their own “Elephant Skin.”
The artistry of Tim Cushan’s photography is borne from a passionate connection with animals and their inherent capacity to convey a deeper truth. An acute awareness of the beauty of the world the elephants represent, and the plight of vulnerability they share individually and universally, strengthened Tim’s aim to enliven the memory of our connection to Earth’s greater communities.
Depicted in cave paintings as early as seventy thousand years ago, elephants have historically been empire builders and destroyers – the embodiment of the power of kings and culture. They have been revered, represented and worshipped as gods, past and present. They continue to hold an emblematic place within the human psyche.
Just as we have revered the elephants on the one hand, at other times, driven by fear, we have sought to subjugate their power. Mistakenly believing we can command them for our own purposes, we have exploited them for labor, wars, religion, entertainment. What we have failed to consider is that when all is said and done, the elephants’ struggle for survival is reflective of mankind’s own struggle. The two are inextricably linked.
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Photo courtesy of Judith Reid. |
With this essay, Cushan responds to a heartfelt obligation to carry the elephants’ message to the human community in order to raise consciousness in reawakening our eternal bonds.
Tim photographed his subjects for Elephant Skin at a rescue and rehabilitation reserve in Thailand. In contrast to many nature photographers whose subjects are recorded using a long telephoto lens, Tim utilizes a wide-angle lens at close range. This enables him to get within a few feet, and sometimes nearly under these magnificent, endangered creatures. Moving among them, he creates his intimate signature portraits, capturing the essence of these highly intelligent animals in a way that is entirely unique.
The artist’s ability to reach into the heart and soul of these elephants and capture and identify their link with humanity is represented here in its entirety.
May the ‘Elephant Skin’ project provide a renewed focus on our world under pressure, and remind us just how fragile their world has become.
“Once upon a time, long ago, we used to run together. Then, as now, that bond endures.”
~Tim Cushan
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