earth . air . fire . water

earth.air.fire.water is a four part photographic series that juxtaposes archaic western mythology with a modern antiseptic presentation. The four elements are isolated, and presented in idealized Zen Enso circles, bolted into brushed stainless steel laser-cut frames, backlit with dual fluorescent bulbs.
This project is intended as a monument to the very ancient idea that all things are constructed of the same fundamental elements. We now know this to be absolutely true. Over one hundred elements have been found to exist so far, and we are constantly creating new (if short lived) elements in particle accelerators. The concept of the four original elements lives on in psychology, astrology, and many different religions.

The current periodic table has become the cornerstone of modern scientific thought and discovery. The four elements, and the alchemists that sought to understand them, can be seen as precursors to the scientific pioneers that came after them. This work is meant to unify the concept of those ancient proto-physicists with their modern successors, and honor their courage and curiosity, to celebrate the birth of the thought process that shaped the western world.