Artist Layers Acrylic Landscape Photos into Multidimensional Installations

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

In his ongoing series of contemplative and conceptual Layer Drawings, Japanese artist Nobuhiro Nakanishi continues to artistically explore perspectives and alter perceptions.

Nakanishi composes his eye-catching installations with photographs taken over an extended period of time. Depicting unassuming environments and natural phenomena like tranquil forests and simple sunsets, the photos capture crisp snapshots of moments that would otherwise be forgotten. To evoke a sense of three-dimensionality, Nakanishi prints the photos on plexiglass acrylic and layers each sheet in chronological order. Once strategically mounted on the wall, the collection of individual photographs is transformed into a single scene that magically appears to surround its viewers and recede into the distance.

In addition to experimenting with space and altering perspectives, these stereoscopic studies take on a meditative quality. Furthermore, they present the artist's perceptions of time and his relationship with his audiences. “We are all subject to the passing of time, yet each of us feels and perceives it in our own way,” Nakaniski says on his website. “Time itself has no shape or boundary and cannot be fixed or grasped. When we look at the photographs in these sculptures, we attempt to fill in the gaps between the individual images. We draw from our physical experiences to fill in missing time and space, both ephemeral and vague. In this series, I attempt to depict time and space as sensations shared by both viewer and artist.”

In Layer Drawings, an eye-catching series of installation art, Japanese artist Nobuhiro Nakanishi plays with perspective by chronologically stacking landscape photos on glass.

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Layer Drawings Nobuhiro Nakanishi Installation Art Photos on Glass

Nobuhiro Nakanishi: Website 

All images via Nobuhiro Nakanishi.

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Mesmerizing Layered Landscapes Reflect on Time and Space

Rearrangeable Layers of Glass Form Stunning 3D Landscapes and Seascapes

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
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