Next up on our showcase, is photographer Maxwell Anderson and his series, Flowers. We spoke to him about how the work progressed and what it means to him.
My book Flower came about through an editing process, looking back at negatives from the last six to seven years. I realised that, quite simply, I am naturally drawn to photographing flowers, but I am also extremely fond of floral print on clothing. My photographs that feature or involve flowers (real or interpreted) are usually photographs that I really enjoy.
I can remember one of the first pictures I was proud of was of a poppy I took in my Mum’s back garden. In our everyday lives we are compelled to surround ourselves with flowers: on the streets we walk, lining our highways, in our homes, in our cars… The replication of flowers in fashion has also been a staple go-to design. I enjoy this relationship we as humans have with these mute and inanimate organisms. They represent a whole compendium of emotions and semiotics; life, death, love, envy, friendship, patriotism…
Flowers have been the still life subject for countless artists and photographers for centuries. Some briefly referring to them, and others making a whole career from painting them. More often than not, the way in which artists have interpreted flowers have been the defining epitomisation of their approach to their artwork. So, I guess in a way. the book Flower is my two pennies’ worth to the immense catalogue of flower-related artworks, and a personal note in considering my own approach to photography. And of course, importantly, it’s also a bit of fun.
Click here to see more of Maxwell Anderson’s work.
