Communication Design School of Design

Isabella Atanes-Enepi

At my core, I am an image maker. My interest lies in narrative through world-building, and the ability that a single constructed image has in telling a thousand stories. I work predominantly in the lighting studio creating images that range from intimate still-life microcosms to grand, inhabitable sets, all rooted in the natural world. For me, nature is the foundation of every image, my process always begins with foraging for material that inspires and guides my creations.

Over time, I have amassed a vast collection of natural flora that has become a critical component of my work. The journey of my practice initially began as an appreciation of the organic form ever present in our natural environment and transitioned into one that embraces the otherworldly side of nature.

Contact
isabellaatanes@gmail.com
Works
Mito
Natura Morta

Mito

Folklore is deeply connected to the natural world. Mito explores this connection by combining the stories of two Brazilian Folklore characters, Curupira and Iara. The project has the intention of rectifying these characters by speculating a narrative that explores Brazilian environmental policy, such as illegal deforestation, through a folklore lens. By placing them in a devastated rainforest, surrounded by ash-ridden soil, they are transformed from demonized mythical beings into warriors fighting on nature’s behalf.

Panorama of Curupira and Iara

Iara, Stranded Siren

Curupira, Fallen Warrior

Natura Morta

Natura Morta, the Italian translation of ‘still life’, directly translates to dead nature in English. Inspired by this play on words, this project is an exploration surrounding the cycle of life and its ephemeral beauty. These uncanny compositions are removed from their original contexts and transformed into constructed microcosms inhabited by insects and other life forms associated with memento mori motifs.

Still life of weeds

Bad apple

still life of branch and web