Before the Fall

April 29th, 2023

A solo exhibition

Anthony Fieldman

Where in the world is beauty? New York-based architect and photographer Anthony Fieldman, sobriquet Nomade Civilisée, embodies a practice of immersive discovery to uncover beauty wherever it lies. His recent exhibition entitled Before The Fall at Toronto gallery ARTERIAL from April 26th to May 28th as part of Scotiabank’s Contact Photography Festival showcased photos of children from Ethiopia and Cuba on the theme of curiosity, play and open exploration.

“The reason I photograph kids is because I find that anywhere I go there are a number of adults who are just too self-conscious... Kids are largely free of the self imposed constraints that most of us carry as adults.”

Fieldman has spent time in over 70 countries and lived on three continents. This open-minded wanderer’s spirit has inspired a wealth of beautifully composed and thoughtfully curated black-and-white images.

“I use photography as an extension of discovery.”

Determined to honour his curiosity, Fieldman would often find himself in the middle of intimate celebrations where he was welcomed gladly by perfect strangers. He tells how, having wandered into a home in Havana, Cuba, no one minded that he was there; "I heard music I liked, and just walked in the house, uninvited, to see what was going on. Eventually they invited me to dinner”.

“I try to capture authentic moments that help people to understand that beauty is everywhere, and that common humanity underpins all of us, regardless of our cultural difference. And so there’s an—if I can call it optimism—in that I'm always trying to uncover beauty in whatever form it presents itself, and then bring that out in a photograph.”

Much like his photography series called The Colour of New York - a series about discovering the cultural diversity in his own city, when he realized he couldn't travel extensively because of his then-young daughter - the selection of photos at ARTERIAL display a strong sense of humanity and a commitment to discovery.

Both The Colour of New York and Before The Fall showcased black and white photography:

“To me, colour is a distraction. Black and white is an act of reduction. I try to get at the essence of a thing and the essence of the thing doesn’t depend on its colour. The essence of the thing depends on the expressions of a face, the gesture that the body makes, the composition of a space, the qualities of light which can be completely rendered in black and white and doesn't need colour to distract from it.”

Artist and architect, Fieldman knows many ways to create - but underpinning it all is his passion for open, non-judgmental, authentic exploration.

“Because beauty exists everywhere in the world in various forms, I simply want to spend time in all of it, and increasingly I will.”

Discover Anthony Fieldman’s website here: http://www.nomadecivilisee.com/.

Written by Sophie Sobol