Underland Photo Series by Johann Ryno de Wet

Beautiful and intriguing black and white series by South African photographer Johann Ryno de Wet.

“The series of images “Underland” by Johann Ryno de Wet is the refuge that the artist has built underground. It is his way of facing the fear of fulfilling his worst omens. “Underland” is the world beneath the world, the subconscious. In this case, revived in a completely clear and realistic way.

In the examples of the past, artists have reflected the images evoked in dreams through painting, drawing or writing. But I know few examples of doing that in photography. Ryno de Wet searches the dreamed landscapes in the world that he inhabits, photographs them and, after digital manipulation, composes them as he recalls.

We are not talking about photographic realism, on the contrary, these are unreal images. Disturbing and menacing, but in a contradictory way, calming too.”

– Juan José Santos

via Paranoias Johann Ryno de Wet’s website