Staring into the Sun

Given it is their primary source of light, photographers almost always consider the sun. Yet they seldom directly photograph it as a subject. Sungazing is sometimes enacted as part of spiritual or religious practices, or as an alternative therapy, most often near dawn or dusk. However, it is considered extremely dangerous, and impossible to look at the sun for any length of time without damaging one’s vision or going blind.

Luke Foley-Martin’s exhibition combines real photographs of the sun with hand-made abstract simulations of celestial bodies created in the darkroom. Influenced by heliography and selected works by Hiroshi Sugimoto, Nicolai Howalt and Hiroshi Yamazaki, in ‘Staring into the Sun’ Foley-Martin risks his own eyesight to explore spaces between the real and imagined, vision and blindness.

Luke Foley-Martin, Deep Space

Luke Foley-Martin, Eternal Vibrance

Luke Foley-Martin, Marooned

Luke Foley-Martin, Overexposure

Luke Foley-Martin, To Form a Circle

Luke Foley-Martin, You Are The Blue