Work In Progress by Nick Shepard

Issue 117

Much of what we see in the normal course of modern life is a delightful lie, cannily put together for our enjoyment. Objects, spaces, and images are made for our pleasure—but their shiny and chrome appearance belies little of their sloppy manufacture. How easily we forget!

Nick Shepard’s recent color still life photographs depict materials that make up scenes around us but are typically hidden from view: gypsum board, 2x4s, painter’s tape, packaging materials. Shepard depict these subjects in playful and refined geometric compositions that challenge our perception of space. Like the spaces we inhabit, the underlying elements of the pictures are hidden from view. (At least for the most part.) Yet, here and there, a corner appears, a wall’s structure is revealed, a background is hastily retouched, A shadow is misplaced, or a corner reappears, perhaps.

Nick Shepard lives and works in Sacramento, California.
To view more of Nick’s work, please visit his website.

Prism, 2018

Prism, 2018

 
Threshold 2, 2017

Threshold 2, 2017

 
Sharp Edges, 2016

Sharp Edges, 2016

 
Vase, 2017

Vase, 2017

 
Blocks, 2016

Blocks, 2016

 
Imperfect Smooth, 2018

Imperfect Smooth, 2018

 
Framing, 2017

Framing, 2017

 
Flowers and White, 2016

Flowers and White, 2016

 
Strata, 2017

Strata, 2017

 
Punctum, 2017

Punctum, 2017

 
Quick Mask, 2017

Quick Mask, 2017

 
Pile On, 2018

Pile On, 2018

 
Timber, 2018

Timber, 2018

 
Halftone, 2016

Halftone, 2016

 
Light Shadow, 2016

Light Shadow, 2016

 
Threshold 1, 2017

Threshold 1, 2017