MILAN, 5TH MAY 2020
I’m delighted that my photograph "TREE OF LIFE - WILLOW" has been published on PhotoVogue. Selected by Alessia Glaviano, Photo Editor of Vogue Italia and L’Uomo Vogue.
This majestic and intricate willow tree was photographed in a London park. It's a popular focal point, next to a tiny bridge over a long narrow pond which is home to swans and ducks. The tree is popular with animals too - often the branches are teeming with pigeons and squirrels.
Viewed in the traditional orientation, we see the web of branches climbing upwards to the sky. Due to dense leaf canopy, the entire frame is filled by the tree. What fascinates me is that if the image is turned through 180 degrees it could equally represent a tree trunk and its intricate root system.
The TREE OF LIFE is a fundamental widespread myth or archetype in many of the world's mythologies, religious and philosophical traditions. It is closely related to the concept of the sacred tree [Wikipedia]. WILLOW is used to make charcoal (for drawing) and in living sculptures. With its link to charcoal-making, I decided to give this Willow Tree of Life image a fine-art monochrome treatment.