Iron Prom­in­ent Moth (Noto­donta dromedar­ies) (Self-por­trait, shav­ing foam), 2013

Digit­al C‑Type Print

172.7 x 121.9 cm

Con­volvu­lus Hawk Moth, Agri­us con­volvuli (larva) Self Por­trait, shav­ing foam, 2013

Digit­al C‑Type Print

172.7 x 121.9 cm

Fox Moth (Mac­rothyla­cia rubi) (Self-por­trait, shav­ing foam), 2013

Digit­al C‑Type Print

172.7 x 121.9 cm

Comma But­ter­fly (Poly­go­nia c‑album) (Self-por­trait, sug­ar), 2013

Digit­al C‑Type Print

172.7 x 121.9 cm

May­fly (Eph­em­er­op­tera) subimago stage between­larva and adult (Self-por­trait, flour and water), 2013

Digit­al C‑Type Print

172.7 x 121.9 cm

Com­mon Slug (Arion horten­sis) (Self-por­trait, cot­ton wool), 2013

Digit­al C‑Type Print

76.2 x 66 cm

Leo­pard Slug (Great Slug), Limax max­imus, Self por­trait, cot­ton wool, 2013

Digit­al C‑Type Print

76.2 x 66 cm

All pho­to­graphy by Nick David

These pho­to­graph­ic self por­traits are a con­tinu­ation of his rela­tion­al explor­a­tions into becom­ing anim­al. Here he becomes slugs, moths, a but­ter­fly and a may­fly. We see his sol­it­ary form covered in com­mon­place mater­i­als, shav­ing foam, dough, sug­ar and cot­ton wool, which cre­ate their own form­a­tions. His becom­ing of a spe­cies with no cul­tur­al bridge to a shared con­scious­ness (an insect/​mollusc) is attemp­ted without meta­phor or mim­icry. He is not like the anim­al, for him, he just is.