HUGH ARNOLD

Luna Dash

Lambda Chromogenic Print mounted on Dibond with UV Acrylic
​ 40 x 60 in

Hugh Arnold was born in Chester, England and trained as an actor
before being enticed into the world of photography by the light and natural outdoor elements of Australia. After being offered a contract by Australian Vogue, he returned to Europe, doing his first job exclusively with Armani for Per Lui and Lei with Franca Sozzani in Milan. He met Hamish Bowles at the collections in Paris who asked him to shoot Carla Bruni for Harper’s and Queen, subsequently working for various magazines such as Vogue, Tatler, Conde Nast Traveller, Glamour, etc. Soon after, he started shooting worldwide beauty campaigns for L’Oreal, Pantene, Wella, Max Factor, Nivea, and La Perla.
“Luna Dash” is from Hugh’s, “Agua Nacida” series, which means “water born” in Spanish. It is a part of a unique collection of large-scale underwater nudes by Arnold.
    In an interview with HUNGER TV in London, Arnold stated, “I wanted Agua Nacida to span the symbolic transition from the cocoon of the womb, to carefree childhood, the discovery of
adolescence, the sensuality of womanhood and the pain of birth, depicting each stage in the process through physical actions. I realized that I was touching something much more profound than I set out to do because everything that I had done up to this point professionally had included artifice and ego in some form or other. The moment you submerge yourself in water, no matter who you are, the ego disappears and you touch the true essence of your nature. It’s almost like going back to the beginning, being reborn... The images take us on a parallel journey beneath the surface of the sea. Our souls’ hidden waters come from a powerful, pure and deep place that I am only now starting to understand.  We are all water born...”

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