From Chicago to London to Mykonos: Hugh Arnold

“...it’s impossible not to be calm once you immerse yourself in water since it takes on its own rhythm. Of course the second you go below the water’s surface you can barely hear the tiniest sounds. It’s an all-enveloping, womb-like world,” Hugh Arnold.

Despite the tumultuous economic times in Greece, the art market continues to thrive. Debuting in North America at Hilton|Asmus Contemporary last September and later opening in London, renowned fashion photographer, Hugh Arnold’s “Agua Nacida” exhibition makes a big splash in Mykonos.

Agua Nacida, meaning “water born” in Spanish, is a unique collection of large-scale underwater nudes, photographed amidst the unspoiled depths of the seas surrounding the Fiji islands and Gozo, off the coast of Malta in the Mediterranean.

The vibrancy of the ocean is stunningly highlighted through the quality of his Lambda Chromogenic prints mounted on Dibond, an aluminum substrate and finished with an acrylic surface.  Lambda printing is quite a unique printing process in the field of photography, combining the continuous tone of traditional chromogenic prints (also known as “C-Prints”) with the control of today’s digital printing, Lambda prints, or Digital C Types, are often considered to be some of the most beautiful and accurate prints available.

“Aqua Nacida” illustrates the elegance of the female figure beneath the serene depths of the Pacific, while capturing the dynamism of life beneath the sea and within the feminine sprit. Arnold further explores the beauty of the human form and symbolic transition from womb to womanhood, while also showcasing the body so that the humans appear to become one with the sea life around them.

Arnold explains, “We are entirely governed by the power of nature: the sun, the moon and, above all, the tides. We humans are so infinitesimal that we barely register above the power of the ocean, so we must submit to it and respect it.”

If scuba diving with supermodels wasn’t exhilarating enough, Hugh Arnold and Agua Nacida’s debut in Chicago was featured in 25th Anniversary Edition of CS Modern Luxury, and Hunger TV.
 
While Arnold shares his stunning oceanic images throughout the Mediterranean, along Lake Michigan, Hilton|Asmus continues to communicate the beauty of water and femininity through Arnold’s work.

By Erin Benator