ART REVEAL MAGAZINE
ART REVEAL MAGAZINE:
The Last Stand makes an appearance in this Finnish publication in 2015.
Q & A Text:
Art Reveal: When, how and why did you start photographing?
David Ellingsen: I started my career in photography at the age of 30. In my late 20’s I began searching for a new direction and I hired a career counselor for assistance. As soon as the subject of photography was discussed it immediately struck home. I grabbed it and have not let go yet. I went to a small technical school from 1999 to 2000 to learn the mechanics of the art, received a diploma, and set off.
AR: What is the most challenging part about environmental artist and photographer at once?
DE: I don’t feel the challenge is in pairing the two. The challenge is attempting to produce strong work in the hope that it will contribute in some small way to the challenges we face.
AR: Tell us more about "The Last Stand" series.
DE: As you may realize by the close of this interview, I am consumed with making work that speaks to the anthropogenic environmental crisis and the dialogue surrounding it. This body of work touches on themes of globalization, impacts of colonialism, and the cognitive dissonance arising from the dilemma of participation in, and yet responsibility for, the fouling of the environment.
The Last Stand is a very personal project that has its beginnings in my childhood, as I walked daily through the woods to catch the school bus, passing by these dark remnants of the old growth forest. This experience left a lifelong impression on me. I later discovered that these ancient trees had in fact been cut down by my own ancestors and, with concurrent reflections on personal environmental responsibilities, confirmed that this would be an important project for me.
AR: How would you describe the art scene in your area?
DE: Major international artists like Douglas Coupland, Jeff Wall, Ian Wallace, Vikky Alexander and the rest of the “Vancouver School” have raised the profile of the city’s art scene since the 1980s. We have world-class private galleries and the Vancouver Art Gallery, our most important public art institution, is about to embark on the construction of a new space designed by Herzog & de Meuron. In addition, the new Capture Photography Festival is now in it’s third year and has done a lot for the photographic arts in the city.
AR: What’s the best art tip you’ve ever received?
DE: “Keep going. If you do, it’s all going to happen”.
AR: What are your future plans as an artist?
DE: Very much the same as before. Continue making work that speaks to the situation we now face and our response to it.