Ben Zank Captures Minimalist and Surreal Scenarios
Born and raised in NYC, now relocated to New Zealand, photographer Ben Zank came to the lenses by chance during his time studying journalism. His photographs are a reflection of his inner world with self-portraits and individuals in unrealistic situations. His inspiration mainly comes from the photographer Rodney Smith and painter René Magritte but also from browsing on Tumblr. His thought-provoking work is meant to capture a moment in time and leave the viewer to his own interpretation. Zank uses minimalistic backgrounds to create dramatic images. Most of the time, a person and a landscape suffice to produce an intriguing and disturbing photography. According to the artist, the image itself is the emotion and it should not be distracted by too many subjects and crazy environments. Lines from a tennis court, a river, a mountain or a slide; his requirements for a good shooting location is simply a feeling of comfort and balance. The renderings are surreal and poetic. It’s an amalgam of floating bodies frozen in time, an action paused in a bizarre set-up. The photographs …