LUMINA OBSCURA

The Art of Jay Sims

 

[catalog entry]


Untitles (Series 1)

  • Date: c. 1996
  • Medium: 35mm b/w film, digitally refined
  • Format: Proofs only

Untitled (Series 1) reimagines the human body as sculptural form—an interplay of flesh and illusion that draws inspiration from the quiet dignity of ancient Roman statuary. Captured on 35mm black and white film and later digitally refined, the images present a stylized transformation of the figure, where the application of makeup mimics the mottled texture of timeworn marble.

The resulting effect is both arresting and uncanny: bodies appear frozen mid-motion, neither entirely animate nor inanimate. Lips, limbs, and skin take on a stone-like solidity, evoking the reverence and rigidity of classical sculpture while remaining unmistakably human. These staged portraits meditate on beauty, permanence, and the fragile performance of timelessness—where the living body masquerades as artifact.

Though never developed into a complete series, the proofs gesture toward a concept that merges photography, performance, and classical aesthetics in a single visual gesture.



Image from Untitled (Series 1)Image from Untitled (Series 1)Image from Untitled (Series 1)

Digitally refined proofs from the unfinished project Untitled (Series 1). These test images represent a work in progress and were never part of a finalized edition.

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