Manipulates Black and White WWI-Era Photos into Surreal Works of Fantasy

Australian artist Jane Long transforms faded black and white photographs into colorful works of fantasy, giving the subjects a new, and entirely surreal context. The images she uses for her series, Dancing with Costică, were captured over a half century ago by Costică Acsinte, a Romanian war photographer who documented WWI.

The glass-plate photographs by Costică capture the straight faces and intense eyes of the subjects taken long before smiling was common in images. “I wanted to change the context of the images,” says Long. “Photographic practices at the time meant people rarely smiled in photos but that doesn’t mean they didn’t laugh and love. I wanted to introduce that to the images.” The artist stands by her work and explains, “I wanted people to see these figures as real people, more than just an old photograph.”

“Underneath”

“Singalong”

“Gun Shy”

“The Juggling Act”

“A Fond Farewell”

“Innocence”

“Beacon”

“Sweetheart”

“Burn it Down”

“The Idea Farm”

“Musica”

“The Whimsy Brothers”

“Fresh Jane Long”

“Corvo”

“Flock”

“All Hands on Deck”

“Neptune’s Bride”

“A Stitch in Time”

“Eremeran”

“Wanderer”

“Tall Poppies”