Jul 26

Jul 26 Emma Elizabeth Tillman

At home in the Hollywood Hills, May 2016 © Emma Elizabeth Tillman, by courtesy of the artist.jpg

Emma Elizabeth Tillman’s photographic work creates a world which comfortably embraces both mystery and intimacy with fervent affection. It is often the result of enigmatic subconscious musings surrounding elements of darkness and the intrinsic value of things unknown. The muted colors and personal subject matter present real emotion with an otherworldly beauty as she captures moments in life and in love with unashamed rawness.

In the bath at the Chiltern Firehouse, February 2016 © Emma Elizabeth Tillman, by courtesy of the artist

3. Big Sur on my Wedding Day, 2013 © Emma Elizabeth Tillman, by courtesy of the artist.jpg

5. Somewhere in Germany, 2012, © Emma Elizabeth Tillman, by courtesy of the artist.jpg

Aside from aesthetic dreaminess, Tillman’s work is very much a record of growth, closeness and pure, unadulterated love. Her husband Josh, musician Father John Misty, is regularly central to her work, whether as the subject or as an indirect inspiration; they are often each other’s muse. She began taking photos of their life together early in their relationship, a reaction to a feeling that a record of her time with him was nothing short of compulsory, if not utterly essential. This record, a way to preserve time and, equally, a way to relive it, shapes her dreamy body of work. In this way, she reveals her innate ability to create a new world, both beaming and solemn, by fondly documenting her real one.

The Joshua Tree Inn, December 2011, © Emma Elizabeth Tillman, by courtesy of the artist

At home in New Orleans, March 2015, © Emma Elizabeth Tillman, by courtesy of the artist

An upcoming solo exhibition features over 90 collages comprising of photos of her life with Josh, writings from her travels and self-portraits which explore her own sensuality, ideas of romance, and expressions of beauty. The way in which she presents her memories is tender and inviting, gracefully revealing themselves to her audience.