Natural History: Traer Scott

October 2–December 31, 2015

Lingering in the shadows around wildlife dioramas in natural history museums, Traer Scott has captured an alluring assortment of images that constitute her series Natural History. In these works, uncanny juxtapositions are revealed in reflections in thick plate glass—a pack of wild dogs meld with the ghost-like appearance of a startled young museum-goer while in another, a fierce, chest-pounding taxidermy gorilla fuses with a humorous reflection of a young boy with an exposed belly.

As Scott states, “A split second alchemical moment occurs when a person’s moving reflection joins in a meaningful way with the immobile, century-old diorama.” The images are not double exposures, or constructed using computer programs such as Photoshop, but are single exposure digital images. In this series, which began in 2009, Scott documents an array of fleeting moments through patience, chance and a sharp eye. The photographer’s confounding narratives also highlight our complex and sometimes troubled co-existence with nature

Bighorn-Sheep — Traer Scott (American, born 1973) Big Horn Sheep, 2014; Archival inkjet print; Courtesy of the artist

Hunting-Dogs — Traer Scott (American, born 1973) Hunting Dogs, 2009; Archival inkjet print; Courtesy of the artist