Simon Norfolk
Simon Norfolk is an interesting contemporary photographer who explores the effects of modern warfare and its place in the creation of our history as well as contemporary society. He primarily focuses on landscapes and their relationship to war in order to communicate the power of the environment and mankind. An interesting observation of his photographs is that, although the power of the environment may not play such an obvious role, many of them introduce elements of the sublime. Instead of focusing on the cataclysmic forces of nature, Norfolk seems to focus on the cataclysmic forces of man and man’s natural tendency to produce war and destruction that often results in the same feelings of terror and awe that follow natural disasters. Many of his photographs illustrate the aftermath of war and its newly accepted place within the environment. The following photograph, taken in Afghanistan, depicts a scene of a once-used road for soldiers and other traffic during war. 
This photograph was taken on Gold Beach in Normandy:
Additional information and photographs for Simon Norfolk can be gathered from his website: http://www.simonnorfolk.com/pop.html
5 comments:
As I was reading your post, I found that the cataclysmic images on the Simon Norfolk photographs resembled a little bit of The Sublime style of the Romanticism era. The fast moving currents depicted the strength of nature in the photographs and reminded me of some of the Romantic Sublime artpieces we discussed in class. Thanks for the great insights!
Simon Norfolk is doing humanity a great favor. War does not just involve the loss of human life; there is also a heavy toll on the environment as well. His images remind us of the fragility of our surroundings and the negative and destructive impact human carelessness has had on it. The photographs shown capture the vitality of the environment that emulates the Sublime.
I agree with Carlos that war takes a toll on not just life but the environment too. This article made me read a little on line about Simon Norfolk. Thanks for sharing....
Robert Kierna Art 3 summer 2010
WOW...these pictures are amazing. It is a good source to reference to to show humans that they do not rule nature, nature rules us. We can always make our mark but after we leave of die nature is still there and takes back over what we have done. It reminds me of the film Titanic or I Am Legend. How when man leaves, nature takes over once again. You just introduced me to a photographer/artist that I enjoy. Thank you for sharing this with us.
after reading this article, i can see that simo captured that visual mid of what he was trying to go for. he did a good job protrayig the aspects of tryig to get the sublime of cactaclysmic . i was able to se soe traits or point out of where noise might be as well as destructin.
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