Artist Statement

In 1999 under a blazing night sky in the Sahara, a Touareg nomad and I had a far-ranging conversation about global events in spite of the fact that he spent life wandering a small corner of an empty desert. When I asked him how he was so worldly, he responded, “Je suis nomade civilisée” — a “civilized nomad”.

It resonated. Specifically, his idea that one comes to know the world by moving through it with curiosity and hunger for learning, without getting stuck in one place or set of ideas.

My photographs are, above all, an attempt to uncover and communicate aspects of the world that remind us of two things:

First, that we are all far more similar than we are different and should therefore be able to bridge over whatever disparities legitimately exist between us. And second, that discovery of the unfamiliar widens our world view, leading to increased optimism and improved sense-making.

In today’s climate of extreme discord, I believe what people need is expansive thinking, not a retreat into tribalism.

Like the Touareg I encountered in the desert, we need to thread geographies and cultures with deep immersion in the unfamiliar.

For exhibits, marketing and engagement efforts, I can be reached directly at anthony@nomadecivilisee.com

For fine art print purchases, I am represented by Arterial Toronto at contact@arterialtoronto.com and Penumbra at info@imagefoundry.ca

© Anthony Fieldman, 2023 — All Rights Reserved.

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