Photographer Joshua Anderson is blurring the lines between surrealism and realism

Words by Lucy Bourton, Friday 19 August 2016

Joshua Anderson has a distinctive quality to his photography. He doesn’t over complicate an image but still manages to leave an air of the absurd lingering, blurring the lines “between surrealism and reality”.

The portfolio of this Los Angeles-based photographer is close to fine art in its subjects, particularly Yellow With A Blue Dot a collaborative project with Tyler Swanner. The pair created four fictional fashion narratives, designing costumes for each of the characters. However Joshua is still able to capture the natural, displayed in his series A Study on Youth for Double Dot, documenting and celebrating what it means to be young in Paris. This series displays Joshua’s photographic eye for colour and texture. The elements the photographer exhibits, a girl sitting on a boy’s lap but only showing the feel of their jeans touching, or the friction between basketball players by just their arms grazing, proves Joshua’s talent for noticing when ornamentation is necessary, and when compositions should remain unrefined.

The jump in themes within Joshua’s work could be related to his upbringing. Born in Houston but raised across Texas his life was “in a constant shift of environments and surroundings, conditioning his mindset to find the extraordinary in reality”. These distinct life experiences influenced and shaped who he is and the work he creates. This has resulted in a diverse portfolio but with a consistent style that binds it all together intelligently.

Dsc00054-768x1075 — Joshua Anderson: *A Study On Youth*

Dsc00431-819x1024 — Joshua Anderson: *A Study On Youth*

Dsc00103-768x1075 — Joshua Anderson: *A Study On Youth*

Dsc00433-819x1024 — Joshua Anderson: *A Study On Youth*

Prt_500x625_1456099944 — Joshua Anderson: *Yellow With A Blue Dot*

Screen_shot_2016-08-18_at_16.35.06 — Joshua Anderson: *Yellow With A Blue Dot*

Prt_500x625_1457314611 — Joshua Anderson: *Yellow With A Blue Dot*

Screen_shot_2016-08-18_at_16.35.16 — Joshua Anderson: *Yellow With A Blue Dot*

Prt_500x625_1455600377 — Joshua Anderson: *Yellow With A Blue Dot*

Screen_shot_2016-08-18_at_16.35.40 — Joshua Anderson: *Yellow With A Blue Dot*

Screen_shot_2016-08-18_at_16.34.54 — Joshua Anderson: *Yellow With A Blue Dot*

Screen_shot_2016-08-18_at_16.35.27 — Joshua Anderson

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