The Interesting Background Behind the Mastermind Creator Joe Horner
Meet Joseph Horner, also known as 'The flower block master', a photographer and visual artist based in the UK. Horner specializes in creating pieces using flowers as the primary subject. He has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the prestigious Portrait of Britain, Palm Awards, and Portrait of Humanity awards, with his degree in Fine Art from Chelsea School of Art.
His work has been included in several high-profile magazines, including Vogue, Elle, Kinfolk, and Nowness. His strong viewpoint and creative ability have made him a highly sought-after creative in the field. Joe's childhood significantly influenced his artistic work. Being raised by a passionate gardener for a mother, he was early introduced to the inherent charm of flowers.
However, his mother's encouragement to take things out of their norm and observe their reaction sparked the artist's curiosity and set him on a creative path. Through her guidance and support, she instilled in him a love for the art of creation and the confidence to explore new territories. This has been instrumental in shaping his artistic style and has allowed him to push the boundaries of his work.
Flower Photography and Art With a Deep Purpose
With thousands of followers admiring his work with flowers through his personal lens and perspective, Joseph's work looks at the balance between the nature of flowers and their surroundings. Through every photograph, he looks to invite the viewer to consider the interconnectedness of all things by presenting them in a surreal and unexpected manner. For him, making these works is a deeply personal and therapeutic practice.
He shares:
"I embrace the impermanence of these flowers to create art that is as beautiful and ephemeral as the flowers themselves."
Amid anxiety struggles, Joe found solace and peace of mind by relating and connecting himself to the process of collecting and arranging these fleeting florals. Each petal and stem represents a small victory over his internal turmoil and proves there is always a glimmer of hope and resilience even in the darkest moments.
Dating Back to the Moment Joe Horner Started Taking Photographs of Floral Blocks
The artist made his introduction to what would become his life's work and intense love about three to four years ago. He had been experimenting at that point in his life with different concepts, and he would make notes about anything that caught his attention. One of them exclaimed, "Freeze flowers!" Things took off when Joe developed an obsession with watching the flowers' reactions to the cold. As he likes to say, he is unquestionably the cat who would be killed by curiosity. Joseph became aware as his artistic work developed that he wanted to employ natural light in almost all of his floral arrangements.
For him, it is crucial to keep all of the elements connected. Adding studio lights or flashes somehow just doesn’t feel right for the artist. Horner shares that his flower blocks are created with ice and that the process behind every photographic piece is extremely unique and handled very carefully. It is no surprise that he's also taken his floral art pieces into the NFT world, exhibiting his work at SuperRare Gallery in New York.
He has also been a part of NFT collections at Foundation and Saatchi Art NFT. Horner's photograph 'Walking Off That Edge' won the British Portrait Award. Yet, through his art, Horner seeks to capture the essence of flowers in a way that allows them to be seen and appreciated long after they have wilted away.
Beautifully, flowers always receive a new lease of life in the hands of the UK-based photographer. To see more of the floral feed to get inspired, visit Joseph's Instagram account. Interested in seeing more floral art? Check out Eva Bartos' photography!
Photos by @jwhorner_.
