Belly of the Whale by Robin Friend

Young British photographer Robin Friend spent most of his childhood in Australia before returning to England in 1997. This experience of growing up and living between two different countries has affected his perception and relationship with places. "I was trying to connect with primeval urges" he says of his series Belly of the Whale, which he has been slowly compiling over the last three years. In this series, we see a torn shipwreck at the foot of cliffs, and then a mist around the wreck, a reminder of the destruction of Caspar David Friedrich's The Sea of Ice. Tensions between nostalgic and nihilistic views towards nature are constantly present in Friend's work.

I also want to show the viewer what is possible, out there. I try to make images that will haunt, stay with the

viewer something that is extremely difficult in a world saturated by images.-- Robin Friend

Belly of the Whale, a series of haunting images, when beauty meets decay.

They have swallowed me up and spat me out changing the way I see forever.

Images from West Country series

Images courtesy Robin Friend

Belly of the Whale is currently showing at Selfridges, London.

October 8 - November 7, 2010