The photographic imagery of Dr Joe Zammit-Lucia
Defiance Archival Digital Print 13”x 20”
When we spoke to him for this article, the artist was in Jamaica creating images for a new series on tropical conservation.
Dr Joe Zammit-Lucia’s photographic art is firmly focused on Heritage, Conservation and the Environment. The question of how art, and in particular his art, can help save the planet is always on his mind. “Art can touch people’s emotions and provide a strong push to get people to act in support of the environment.” His commitment goes beyond the creation of artwork. The artist donates all profits from his photographic art works to environmental organizations.
His work has been described as ‘a feast of visual inventiveness with a social message;’ critics have compared his animal portraits to the work of Richard Avedon; he has been said to have the mind of a journalist and the soul of an artist. This issue of ARTisSpec-trum showcases a selection of Joe’s work from the portfolio entitled “Fauves.” In this collection he takes a different approach to the photography of endangered species. By moving away from
the usual nature photography of animals in their habitat to a modern, ‘studio portrait’ style of representation, his aim is to elevate the way we view these animals to a near human level. “If we can learn to respect these animals as rightful co-inhabitants of our environment, there is a greater chance that we may slow down or even reverse the environmental damage that is driving them to extinction,” he says. In some of the images, the artist uses a monochrome medium, stripping the subject to its essence and further elevating the subject’s status as represented by the portrait. The visual impact is nothing short of emotionally captivating.
Says author and art critic Lyle Rexer: “The artist wants to bring the overwhelming reality and the beauty [of these animals] into our presence, to alter us. The eyes are windows on what we can only imagine are the souls of these creatures.”