Timothy Goldkin’s Fever Dream series plunges viewers into a liminal space where past and present collide.
Timothy Goldkin is a contemporary artist who specializes in multi-exposure cyanotype photography. His work explores the intersection of memory, identity, and place by layering historic and contemporary images, resulting in surreal, dreamlike scenes.
Utilizing the cyanotype technique, Goldkin layers historical and contemporary photography, crafting dreamlike montages that question the nature of identity and place. His multi-exposure cyanotypes bridge eras, transforming familiar environments into surreal, haunting vistas where reality dissolves into a feverish blur. Each artwork immerses the viewer in a hypnotic exploration of time, inviting contemplation on the impermanence and fluidity of memory.
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Fever Dream 2, Timothy Goldkin, 2023, multi-exposure cyanotype on stretched canvas, 40 x 38 in. / 101.6 x 96.52 cm.
In Fever Dream 2, Timothy Goldkin layers architectural elements, natural landscapes, and human figures into a disorienting yet compelling visual narrative. The interplay between the rigid structures of buildings and the ethereal presence of the figure lying by the tracks creates a surreal tension that beckons viewers to delve into the layers of history and memory embedded within the scene. This work questions our relationship with the spaces we inhabit and how memory alters our perception of them. The cyanotype's cool blue palette adds to the dreamlike quality, creating a frozen moment where time becomes fluid and unreliable.
Fever Dream 3, Timothy Goldkin, 2023, multi-exposure cyanotype on stretched canvas, 40 x 36 in. / 101.6 x 91.44 cm.
Fever Dream 3 continues the artist's exploration of multi-exposure, melding the past with the present in a scene dominated by both urban and natural imagery. The layering of dilapidated buildings with a serene waterfront suggests the erosion of human influence over time, as nature reclaims spaces once dominated by industry and commerce. The quiet melancholy of the scene draws attention to the transient nature of human constructions, hinting at forgotten histories and unspoken stories. The cyanotype’s rough brushstrokes give the image a painterly quality, further blurring the boundaries between photography, memory, and imagination.
Fever Dream 1 - Lovers on Custom House Wharf, Timothy Goldkin, 2021, multi-exposure cyanotype on stretched canvas, 36 x 72 in. / 91.44 x 182.88 cm.
Goldkin’s Fever Dream 1 - Lovers on Custom House Wharf presents an intriguing juxtaposition of the intimate and the public. The scene depicts the sprawling waterfront of Portland, Maine, where ghostly human forms blend into a scene of maritime life. A towering figure of a reclining body, eerily out of proportion with the environment, adds a sense of disorientation to the piece. The inclusion of lovers in the background, lost amidst the larger backdrop, speaks to the theme of individual experiences overshadowed by the weight of place and history. This multi-exposure cyanotype blurs personal memory and public history, creating a haunting reminder of the impermanence of both.
Goldkin’s Fever Dream series offers a mesmerizing look into the collision of time and memory, expertly manipulating the cyanotype process to evoke a dreamlike quality. These surreal multi-exposure compositions challenge the viewer to question the permanence of place and the reliability of their own memories. In each piece, Goldkin captures not just the visual landscape, but the psychological terrain of places we think we know, but which change shape upon further reflection. His work is an invitation to reconsider the histories and stories that linger in the margins of our familiar spaces.
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Fever Dream 4 - Headlight, Timothy Goldkin, 2023, multi-exposure cyanotype on stretched canvas, 32 x 45 in. / 81.28 x 114.3 cm.
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