Natalie Christensen

Shadows and psychological metaphors are favored photographic subjects for me. My work as a psychotherapist for over 25 years called upon me to explore what is hidden from view, those aspects of the self or the environment that we want to turn away from or simply avoid. I was particularly influenced by the work of depth psychologist Carl Jung and his exploration of the unconscious. My interest is in investigating the more banal peripheral landscapes that often go unnoticed by the casual observer. The places I frequent for my images are probably not what people visualize when they think of the city I live in, Santa Fe, a major tourist destination with a carefully cultivated image. I choose to shoot in locations that may be viewed as uninteresting or even visually off-putting. Closed and open doors, empty parking lots and forgotten swimming pools draw me into a scene; yet it is my reactions to these objects and spaces that elicit interpretation and projection. This is exciting and challenging for me, to “see” something hiding in plain sight. The symbols and spaces in my images are an invitation to explore a rich world concealed from consciousness and an enticement to contemplate narratives that have no remarkable life yet tap into something deeply familiar to our experience; often disturbing, sometimes amusing…unquestionably present. Sometimes I get a glimpse of the sublime in these ordinary places. When I find it, it feels like I have discovered gold.

Award-winning photographer Natalie Christensen’s focus is ordinary settings, seeking the sublime in color fields and shadow. Exhibited in U.S./international museums and galleries, honors include All About Photo 2024 Merit Award; UAE Embassy culture tour delegate; upcoming Artist-in-Residence Chateau d'Orquevaux, France; commissioned cover shoot Vladem Contemporary museum opening - Santa Fe New Mexican Special Edition, 2023; and New Mexico Purchase Initiative selection, New Mexico Arts / Department of Cultural Affairs, 2023. Books include Minimalism in Photography, cover/featured artist, teNeues, Düsseldorf, Germany and 007 – Natalie Christensen, Setanta Books, London. She has work in permanent collections and has been featured in art publications.

2-D, 3-D, Installation, Photography, Sculpture