IDAN
LEVIN
ABOUT
When not limited by visibility, I create visuals that replicate a sort of overlap between the moving (and still) parts of this world, combined in a way that I envision exists if the boundaries of time and space were removed.
In my photographic work, I bring to light worlds hidden within the world we live in, providing an alternate view: prying, mysterious, lonely, and sometimes resembling a sci-fi post-apocalyptic cinematic scene.
At night I find myself exploring, altering my immediate surroundings, altitude, temperature, humidity, and light. I prowl city streets at night, seeking a unique vantage point from which I can capture an alternate view of the world.
Formerly a soldier trained in special ops and reconnaissance, I have long since left that life for a more serene, normal life. Yet, as the sun sets and the sky grows dark, I find myself drawn towards a mission. I seek an unusual vantage point, collecting information while remaining unseen. I get to these places by obtaining access with little regard for persmission; scaling buildings, climbing trees, poles, or other structures not excluded.
My subjects are often normal, everyday places which I make unique through access, vantage point, and time. Exposing places in unusual ways, I create an intimate view penetrating into private or exclusive areas. My images evoke the experience of sweeping movement through space, often translating to the progression of projects or events moving through time, i.e. "life in the fast lane" as opposed to "cross-town traffic".
I choose night to shoot—not because of the darkness—but because of the way the world operates during these hours. Though one can still see the effects and residue of humanity. Actual people are virtually nonexistent at this time. It seems as if the machines and factories were left to run on their own. It becomes a new world—one that didn’t exist several hours earlier.
© 2014 by Idan Levin