Surrealist Ocean Artist Reimagines the Marine World
Courtesy of Conor CulverSurrealist Ocean Artist, Conor Culver
While studying at the University of Colorado Denver, I was introduced to the world of Surrealism. I became inspired by the movement of the 1920s and its ideas of “pure psychic automatism,” just letting the artwork flow out of their minds onto canvases or through their lenses and into the dark-room. This body of work is my attempt to follow this idea. My past work was always created to convey a meaning with each animal used in the image, but this work is to tell a story. Each image started with an idea. Then I let my imagination go in Photoshop, adding more elements as the image progressed. I want the viewer to create their own narratives and spark their own imaginations. As divers, we all have different experiences under the waves, so these images should construct a different narrative for everyone. I am creating the dreams and thoughts I have using the camera, and combining my love of diving and surrealism into this new body of work: These Dreams of Mine.
Conor Culver“Ghost House” Ghost pipefish shot in Indonesia; old house in Denver; image under the floorboards is caves in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Conor Culver“Magritte House” Both octopuses photographed in Beangabang, Alor, Indonesia. The rest of the image was made in Colorado.
Conor Culver“Midnight Flights” Mantas photographed near Isla Socorro, Mexico; background elements shot in Colorado and Hawaii.
Conor Culver“Night Fishing” Grouper, silky sharks, humpback red snapper and starlight of the Milky Way.
Conor Culver“The Shower” Mandarinfish and sun shot at Alor Island, Indonesia; bathtub and grass in Colorado.
Conor Culver“The Treacherous Home” Lionfish and blue hamlets shot in Belize. This is the same house used in “Ghost House.”
