VW CAMPER FAMILY | NICK VEASEY
“It’s what is on the inside that really counts” is the philosophy that guides Nick Veasey (London, 1962) in the creation of his artworks—radiographic images commonly known as X-ray photographs (although this definition is technically inaccurate). Despite the potentially harmful effects of this technique, Veasey discovered in X-ray experimentation the expressive form that inspires him the most. The artist applies the same care and meticulousness in his production process as a doctor examining X-ray scans to detect a problem or disease invisible from the outside.
To carry out this practice, Veasey built a concrete structure capable of containing radiation, a sort of “black box” the size of a room. The numerous X-ray machines inside the room are connected to a single control unit and are operated electronically from the outside, minimizing risk for the artist.
The X-ray-sensitive film is placed behind the subject to be “photographed” so that it captures the radiation only after it has been filtered through the object.
After scanning the film in high resolution—ensuring that even the smallest details are preserved—the image undergoes a post-production process. Sometimes, a single artwork can be composed of a combination of hundreds of exposures.
The subjects he examines vary widely: from simple everyday objects—such as radios, perfumes, and watches—to entire scenographies filled with elements and set up specifically for the occasion. The size of his structure is designed to accommodate even large vehicles, such as a camper van for example.
VW Camper Family (2020) can be considered a modern family portrait. The image shows one of the famous Volkswagen camper vans, beloved by mass culture, inhabited by three people—or rather, three human skeletons—interacting with each other in what appear to be typical and ordinary daily activities: feeding a dog, sipping coffee made with a moka pot, sitting together at the same table. Countless objects are clearly visible in the image—sunglasses, bottles, pots, rackets, flip-flops—but it is the surfboard positioned on the roof that unequivocally contextualizes the scene, identifying it as a snapshot of a family beach vacation.
While X-ray technology is usually employed for security checks or medical examinations, the artist has found a fitting application for it in his quest to uncover as many details as possible about the world around us. “Revealing what is inside” may initially seem like a simple motivation; however, Veasey’s intent is to criticize the superficial way images are consumed in contemporary society by offering an alternative approach.
What are, in effect, intimate details of objects and people are revealed through a minimalist aesthetic that, beyond providing curious and unexpected insights, unveils unsuspected formal potential.
Nick Veasey
VW Camper Family, 2020
X-ray photography
Courtesy the artist
05/02/25