ArtConnect

Soak In Matthew Coleman's Underwater Photography

ArtConnect
Soak In Matthew Coleman's Underwater Photography

Water has always had a swirling presence in photographer Matthew Coleman’s life. From his childhood days spent on the south coast of England to now, standing in LiTE-HAUS Galerie’s bathroom in Neukölln, Berlin photographing Julia Sabrowski in the bathtub of water. The first time Matthew did a shoot like this he found the result too weird. Now, a couple of years later, capturing the interaction between his subject and water has become one of his biggest fascinations.

“It’s my element”, he says and continues: “It emerges, in an instant, is giving form by perception, a momentary dance, a union between two separate elements coming together into a single oneness. Pulsating, flickering, fleeting, as if they were tiny quantum particles appearing and disappearing on the cosmos of water. All one has to do is to place a person within it and see it swirl around them, like paint, with each gesture of water as a kind of brushstroke of the beatific”.

Julia gracefully poses in the water while Matthew’s moving around her with a light in one hand and a camera in the other. The rhythm of his shutter and the sound of the water is filling the room. Sometimes he stops to see if she’s ok, make a joke or just talk a bit, but mostly he shoots. It seems to be a spontaneous process.

“Which one should we use?” Matthew asks Julia while holding up three pieces of fabric in different colors. They decide on the white one. Julia hides parts of her body with it and just like that they’ve changed the whole set. “I work very much from intuition, trying not to think, but instead to feel”, Matthew explains.

For the rest of this article, and to see the results of Coleman's photoshoot, please click this link to visit ArtConnect.

DISCOVER

a treasure trove of fine art from the world's most renowned artists, galleries, museums and cultural institutions. We offer exclusive works you can't find anywhere else.

LEARN

through exclusive content featuring art news, collecting guides, and interviews with artists, dealers, collectors, curators and influencers.

BUY

authentic artworks from across the globe. Collecting with us means you're helping to sustain creative culture and supporting organizations that are making the world a better place.

CONNECT

with our art advisors for buying advice or to help you find the art that's perfect for you. We have the resources to find works that suit your needs.

INSIDER ACCESS TO THE WORLD'S BEST ART

Artspace offers you authentic, exclusive works from world-renowned artists, galleries, museums and cultural institutions. Collecting with us helps support creative culture while bringing you art news, interviews and access to global art resources.

  • COLLECT FROM 300+ GALLERIES & MUSEUMS