Elliot Ross

Elliot Ross follow American, born 1947

Lives in San Francisco, California, United States

Projects/Portfolios

Selected images from the book Animal

Introduction

"Other Animals"

From the introductory essay by Diana L. Daniels

Ross offers a consideration, privileged by beauty, of the romantic view of the mental life of animals, but not exclusively or conclusively. He merely asks that we contemplate the value of the animal's experience, not just our own. Some animals possess sociability. Some display affection, empathy, grief, envy, hostility and shame. Just because an animal's reasoning is not human-like does not mean it is mindless. Ultimately Ross's portraits offer more that luscious imagery; they offer wonder.

From "PhotoBook Month: Elliot Ross — Other Animals," by Harry Rose, Darwin Magazine (UK)

“With a regular upbringing of going to zoos as a child and watching natural history documentaries, what I looked for and what I found within "Other Animals" feels separate to what we’ve seen before. Visually the black and white images paint the subjects in this silver haze, taking them out of their surroundings and habitat and placing them behind a black and white roll of film, we are able to look at animals in another light.

We are made aware of the animal conscious in each image with each page turn, and with our eyes catching the glance of the animal, the notion of understanding one another begins to form.

Part of Other Animals' strength is how we react and interact with the images, animals big and small, to wow and intrigue us. It is with this level of intrigue we organise each animal within our heads, which one could be a companion or a threat. Each animal comes towards us from a deep black background.... We are alone with them, isolated in each portrait. Left to look closer, and see if we can draw more from the animal than the judgements and humanisation we place upon them.

The gap between the animal and the human is felt within Other Animals, the space allowed on each page around the subjects provides moments of contemplation, and not only of how curious we can be of the natural world, but what part we have to play in this world alongside these animals.”