Surreal Photography: Illusions and Dreams | Brandon Ralph

In his Moon Landing series, Ralph sets out to create the whimsical illusion of moon landings on Earth. To achieve the astonishing effects of these ethereal works, he photographs a suspended, sixteen-foot illuminated balloon printed with the moon’s topography, each single-frame image captured with surreal humor and luminosity. At face value, these photographs remind us not to jump to conclusions, of the power of imagery and the humor in our assumptions. Additionally, they invite viewers to pause and contemplate the larger question of the moon’s eternal presence in contrast to the finite nature of our own time here on Earth.

Brandon grew up on Long Island, NY where he was raised on welfare in a middle class neighborhood by a single mother. Who insist that he see America as a place of opportunity and possibility. After losing both parents at the age of 18 & 19 he was forced to drop out of NYU and began a career in marketing, shortly thereafter he coFounded Code and Theory in 2001 which has become one of the largest creative agencies. It was this juxtaposition of my upbringing which included personal loss and professional development that deeply informed his work. As a contemporary artist who uses photography and sculpture to examine life, and the notion of time, cultural coexistence and the ever changing urban landscape.