Martin Stranka

Dreamers and Warriors, 2018
Martin Stranka

Fine art print on archival paper
Size, editions and prices vary
Price: $1,900-$55,000

Courtesy Martin Stranka

The fine art photographs by Martin Stranka appear like stills from a film, the composition leaving viewers unsure whether they’re looking at fantasy or reality.
 Beautifully composed and shot, Dreamers and Warriors is an intriguing work and one that can’t be assigned to a particular place or time. The material and design of the pilot’s uniform suggest either an historic or, conversely, post- apocalyptic time period; the absence of any background and only a bronze reflection in the visor removes any environmental cues; and the presence of the birds suggests this is Earth but are they attacking, attracted to or attempting to communicate with the pilot? Mirrored throughout the work is a limited palette of appealing colours – bronze, white, brown and gold.
 Stranka, a native of the Czech Republic, believes people should never stop following their dreams, fighting for their ideals and protecting their visions. In this image, the birds have the ability to fly - a quality the pilot dreams of and an aspiration that he/she should never strop striving to attain.
 Winner of more than 80 major international photography awards - including two 2019 Sony World Photography Awards - Stranka has been commissioned and exhibited worldwide. With work like this, it's easy to see why.
 
For more information martinstranka.com

Hedge, issue 54, pp46-51, June 2019