hypnotic underwater paint photography by mark mawson

underwater paint photography by mark mawson
all images courtesy of mark mawson

british photographer mark mawson explores the synthesis of color, ink and water in his series ‘aqueous II – the sequel’. the electric imagery follows the journey of paint as it plunges underwater — the submerged forms exposing the aftermath of mixing, dropping, and spinning various colored liquids in water. the result is frozen motion, capturing billowing, hypnotic shapes and silhouettes swirling and rippling through a vast dark background. the photographs illustrate a variety of illusions — sunken mushroom clouds ballooning in space, vibrant jellyfish-like figures, and ghostly pigmented lines.

the pastel pink paint creates a silhouette that resembles a jellyfish 

electric blue paint streams downwards through the water

a smokey blue shape arises from a mass of foggy paint 

a long thin line of white paint stems up from a mass of paint

a small droplet of red paint balloons into a tiny mushroom-like form

the submerged pigment creates a form that resembles a tree, with thin colored branches and stems

a thick cloud of red and yellow paint surging upwards from the center of the paint spill

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