Portrait nominee

Echoes of Self is an exploration of memory, identity, and the passing of time in search of my Ikigai, life’s purpose, expressed through self-portraiture in metaphorical landscapes.
Created on 4×5" dry plates, the series embraces the unpredictability of process and the quiet dialogue between the body and nature. Each image marks a passage, from solitude and dissolution toward renewal and listening. Introduced imperfections of the medium mirror life’s uncertainty, where time and transformation coexist.
By merging performance, landscape, and historic technique, the work invites viewers into stillness, offering space to reflect on the fragile continuity between self, memory, and the natural world in search of their Ikigai.

Ton Schless is a fine art photographer exploring memory, identity, and the passing of time through self-portraiture and metaphorical landscapes in search of his Ikigai, life's purpose. Working with the 4×5" dry plate process, his series Echoes of Self merges historical technique with contemporary inquiry. His images reveal a dialogue between body and nature, introducing imperfection as a metaphor for imperfections in life, transformation, belonging, and the quiet resilience of the human spirit. His work is to evoke meditations in search of his audience's Ikigai.