Alive

is the latest series from artist Nathan J Lester.  

Alive is a celebration of life and being alive. It is Nathan J Lester’s most intimate series to date. 

For the Alive series, Nathan J lester has chosen to place himself in front of the camera to create a series of sculptural 

self portraits. 

The works are a representation of his health journey since open heart surgery five years ago, and the joy of being alive. 

The images are raw and physical but at the same time soft and gentle. He has posed to create shapes and angles that highlight 

tone and form. The poses demonstrate strength but also convey the sofetness of the body. Nathan J Lester’s scars are evident 

in the works. These have been deliberately included in the series as testament to the surgery and its impact on his body.

Nathan J Lester has used the cyanotype process to print the images to bringa new dimension to the works and emphasise 

the contrast between dark and light, and highlight the shape of the body. 

The series is an extension of Nathan J Lester’s work with nudes over the last 30 years.

‘I literally put myself completely into these works.’

The images below are from the gallery installation. They have been done this way to represent the viewing experience for those who cannot attend the gallery