Ansel Adams on Acid — Marco Walker's Hyper-Surrealism
Marco
Walker
Austrian-American · b. London · Studied under Paul Jasmin, LA · Wanderlust · Burning Man
Hyper-Surrealism. Infrared film in Yosemite. Collage. The surprise and unexpectedness that arrives from juxtaposition. Moving from the real to the surreal through the contrast of objects and imagery.
"Hyper-Surrealism is a word I have come up with to sum up my style. Whether I am shooting landscapes with old rare coloured film or in my collage work, it is anything where you can adapt and push the boundaries — moving from the real to the surreal through the contrast of unexpected objects and imagery."
"I like the surprise and unexpectedness that arrives from juxtaposition. I would not call myself a traditional collage artist or a traditional photographer. I feel like my work lies somewhere in the middle."
Tell us about yourself.
Austrian-American, born in London, trained under Paul Jasmin in Los Angeles. He assisted on celebrity portraiture for Vanity Fair and Universal before moving to San Francisco where he developed his practice working with up-and-coming music artists. That portfolio led to his first New York show. Now shooting Harper's Bazaar, Browns, Topshop — and still making time for Burning Man.
"My grandfather and father were both keen photographers — we even had a darkroom in the back of the house. My parents collected art and from a very young age I was dragged from galleries to studios. I am certain this had a strong influence on forming my visual identity."
"A shoot I did in Joshua Tree a few years ago — that involved snakes, heatstroke, four models and mushrooms."
"I chose to shoot Yosemite in infrared film to show the park in a new light. Most iconic photographs of the park have been taken in black and white — I wanted to do something different."
"It was a way of shooting in colour whilst retaining the mysticism. When you look up at the mountains and waterfalls, the park feels eerie and otherworldly — almost like part of a lost planet. I wanted to convey how the Californian pioneers felt when they first laid eyes upon it."
"The name of my exhibition, Wanderlust, describes the desire for travel, freedom and escape. It is my own wanderlust that is really at the heart of my work."
"Too many to mention really — but our amazing sunrise parties and Disco Knights camp definitely stand out."
How do you usually work?
"For commercial work — digital, flash on, very loose documentary/reportage style. For my own work I prefer to shoot with film and natural light."
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Explore his work at marcowalker.com · Explore the full archive →
For the personal rants, opinions you didn't ask for, and the occasional existential spiral: follow on Substack.
Somewhere between the real and the surreal. ✦
