The mind can create all kinds of strange scenarios when we are asleep. In this series entitled Surreal-ity, photographer Kylie Woon brings those mind-bending stories and dreamy scenes to life. Conveying all kinds of dramatic emotions, including loss, fear, anger, and restlessness, Woon creates self-portraits where she floats, flips, and flies across each frame in seemingly impossible arrangements.
The artist says her life has always flip-flopped between being obsessed with the small things in life versus being able to see the bigger, grander picture. She compares her experiences to photography and the idea of being zoomed in and zoomed out. She says, “When I am zoomed in, everything in the universe is dark except for the inside of my head. I feel my feelings with painful clarity, and I am obsessed,” but on a brighter side, she says, “When I am zoomed out, I am floating in space somewhere, looking down on earth which is the size of a glass marble. Like pieces of a puzzle, things just seem to fall into place. It's a reassuring clarity.”
Much like artist Sebastian Eriksson, Woon's passion for life, her emotional struggles, and her desire to feel all of the happy and sad emotions that come with life are evident in her work. Using a combination of photography, a little digital manipulation, and a lot of writing, Woon communicates all kinds of personal feelings and emotions through her art. She invites her viewers in to watch and to read about her powerful journey, which unfolds across the stunning collection of images that she creates.
