THE DISCONNECTED LANDSCAPE
BY NICOLÒ SERTORIO
This series evolved from driving alone for thousands of miles in the American Southwest over the last few years. Here I noticed how the scarcity of the natural element makes human interventions particularly evident.
I explore our relationship with the perceived natural environment: 'nature' is not the ideal postcard void of human presence, but more realistically the 'outdoor' views we experience when moving from one place to another. This new modern landscape cannot be separated from human constructs. Epitomized by 'the road'; freeways, overpasses, vehicles, ads, poles, and signs are what we truly experience. We look at them every day and yet we choose not to see them. We experience them without acknowledging them. And in so doing, we perpetuate our disconnect: nature as something external, to exploit, and at our service. We work against nature instead of within it.
About the author:
Nicolò Sertorio (1968, Princeton NJ USA) is an internationally exhibited artist with over 15 years of experience in visual storytelling.
Sertorio works in fine art and commercial photography, mixed media, collaboration, and conceptual art. His photos directly respond to the surrounding environment by emphasizing aesthetics and everyday experiences. Sometimes radiating a latent violence, these photographs show through their disconcerting beauty multiple layers of meaning. With his conceptual approach, Nicolò Sertorio investigates the dynamics of 'landscape' and how we relate to the environment around us based on cultural and social assumptions.
In past years he has lived for long periods of time in Italy, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, India, Germany and United States. Sertorio has thus a cosmopolitan understanding of contemporary issues that makes his perspective unique.
Sertorio's work has won several important awards, including American Photography 33+32+30+29, International Color Awards 2016-15-14-13, International Landscape Photographer of the Year top 101, Prix de la Photo Paris, PDN Photo of the Day, The Center for Fine Art Photography 'Portfolio ShowCase 6', Photo Week DC International Awards, among others.
His work has been featured in Wired Magazine, LensCulture, Kontura Art (Croatia), Domus, AdWeek, Fraction, Time, Curator, Format, Nacional (Croatia), Fast Company, Feature Shoot, Google ChromeCast, AIGA, Wacom, ViewFind, and many more.
In 2017 and 2015 Nicolò Sertorio was recognized and selected as Critical Mass Top 50. In 2016, solo exhibitions traveled across US (Philadelphia) and Croatia (Koprivnica Art Gallery, Split Diocletian Palace, Virovitica Castle) museums.
Sertorio's works tell a story about the effects of the interaction between self and others. His series are notable for their conceptual nature and the grand humanistic themes in his approach.
Nicolò Sertorio currently lives and works in Oakland (CA), USA. He is board member for PhotoAlliance.