Alice Wheeler

Alice Wheeler uses the lens to transport us into a realm reminiscent of fairy tale and myth. Inspired by the dramatic lighting of Italian churches and the hues of stained glass, her images depict visceral figures emerging from darkness. The subjects often appear as shapeshifting creatures, created from amalgamations of fragments of classical sculpture and warping facial features. She often ‘gives life’ to historical statues, compressing time into one, single image. Creating these scenes in the tangible work, without the aid of digital manipulation, Wheeler invites viewers to rethink our assumptions about what is real and what is constructed, challenging us to question the very nature of photographic truth in the digital age. While AI can make fiction appear real, Wheeler’s goal is to achieve the opposite: crafting real-life photographs to resemble fiction. She intends to maintain an element of mystery in her work she leaves the viewer to create their own narrative behind each piece akin to the experience of 'reading' a damaged fresco in which our imagination fill in the gaps of what has since eroded. Each piece presents a portal into a world that lies just beyond the veil of the known.