While Philip Volkers’ work ranges from portraits of Karl Lagerfeld to documentations of Burning Man, we were interested in covering his special series with Big Eye Gallery, an online gallery based in New York City that offers a special selection of artworks to savvy collectors.

According to Volkers bio, he is inspired by “nature, the occult, and radical self-expression,” which could explain the appearance of this mysterious, unnamed muse in his work. Nude and painted in white, she appears as though she is a statue that has come to life. In each picture she is adorned with large garlands of faux flowers, fruit, and ribbons, or she is crowned with headpieces that seem to hint to some obscure goddess from ancient times. However, the crisp composition of the photos, the materials of the headpieces, and the fashion-forward poses of the model keep this series firmly rooted in the present.

There’s a part of me that wants to read these photos as a drawing a parallel between worshipping goddesses who used to bring ancient people inspiration, and the contemporary practice of worshiping fashion models, who now bring inspiration to the masses. But I’m not sure I have to take it that far. I think it would be enough to suggest that Volkers wants to celebrate and encourage a distinctly feminine, sensual, and aesthetically conscious mode of expression through these photos.

This message may not have fared so well in somebody else’s hands, but Volkers succeeds in keeping the series distilled to its essence visually. He includes the only two elements he needs: the woman, and the headdress. It is this succinctness that actually allows the photos to be visually stunning. Much like Juriaan Booij’s film “Waver” below, the simplicity and openness of the visual content allows the viewer to meditate on the images more fully.

And with that, I can say with confidence that I wouldn’t mind worshiping a modern goddess, especially one as serenely captivating as Volkers’.

Andrea Diaz for PhotoSynth

Special thanks to Big Eye Gallery and Philip Volkers for the images. 

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