Idea Blog V - Urbanization

Urbanization

After last week’s meeting it  has become clear to me that in the development of my project there is  a new push.  I have always had an interest in the urban environment and the construction / deconstruction  which  evolves within the rapidly changing world.    I have an element of decay or aging in a-lot of my work.   Without any signs of decay how could we build context for what we are engaged with?  Decaying objects tell me a story.   They say ‘I have lived and seen the world.’  That’s what I am hoping to show through my imagery.   Brian Matiash loves “the adventure of photographing the frayed edges of cities: the forgotten corners, neglected side streets, and abandoned structures that are so easily dismissed.”  He also strives “to present the beauty in contradiction, to show the art in dereliction [1].”  Like Brian I am photographing objects that I think get ignored but have a beauty to them.  Each object I have to go and seek out and find because there is a constant  cycle of them being trashed or deteriorated.  In relationship to China’s urbanization  Edward Burtynsky comments “.. and doesn't production inevitably result in great waste and destruction of resources, at a scale never imagined in previous decades?”  It’s interesting to think about all the stuff we waste.   In particular what I  find interesting when shooting the furniture  is how good the condition  is of some of the stuff in the trash.   Why throw this stuff away if it’s still good? Is it just that people constantly feel a need  to upgrade, to have or become something better in doing so?  These are things that cross my mind as a continue to work on this series of images.

[1] "APC | Artistic Photo Canvas - I Use APC - Brian Matiash." Artistic Photo Canvas | APC - Your photos become canvas art!. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. <http://artisticphotocanvas.com/iuseapc/brian-matiash.html>.

[2] GRANDE, JOHN K. . "PHOTOICON INTERVIEW: Edward Burtynsky Manufactured Landscapes." PHOTOICON. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. <http://www.photoicon.com/piinterviews/103/>.

Artist Entry IV - Olaf Otto Becker

In an interview Otto said, ‘ I find something new nearly every day. But now I have the feeling I can go my own way, and I have fun watching others not far away going in the same direction [1].” This is a very interesting thought to me.   In my series I am searching for something different to shoot than what I imagine is ideal .  However,  I’m not so ignorant as to think that  noone else could be doing similar work .  In fact, I recently met a lady that was photographing the same subject matter as me.  Although she was only shooting with a point and shoot  she was making similar pictures. Otto Becker allows us to experience his photography  by giving us it’s precise location with a GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking device [2].  I have been thinking about the locations where I find the objects that I am photographing and I wonder if by mapping the locations and presenting  them with the body of work,  it could possibly drive more people to engage with the subject matter.    Maybe people would even go exploring the areas where the photographs are shot.  It may help push me to drive further out of the city and search harder.  Another interesting part of Otto’s photography is that he  photographs with an 8 x 10 camera, which makes him have to slow down and really engage with the subject.  I originally had wanted to shoot my series on 4 x 5 but I felt that  with the time constraints that it would be to hectic.


[1] Colberg, Jörg . "Conscientious Extended | A Conversation with Olaf Otto Becker." Jörg M Colberg. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2010. <http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/extended/archives/a_conversation_with_olaf_otto_becker/>

[2] Badger, Gerry. "Gerry Badger The Greenland Photographs of Olaf Otto Becker." OLAF OTTO BECKER PHOTOGRAPHY. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2010. <www.olafottobecker.de/presse/01.html>.

Artist’s Website - http://www.olafottobecker.de/
Interview with the Olaf Otto Becker - http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/extended/archives/a_conversation_with_olaf_otto_becker/
Gallery - http://www.blueskygallery.org/exhibition/olaf-otto-becker/

All Images Copyrighted Olaf Otto Becker

Idea Blog IV - Journey

This week I have chosen to talk about “the journey.”  “The journey” can refer to many things:  it can be the evolution of the project from the start to the finished product, or the physical journey one  must travel to find these objects.  As most people know the Richmond fan district is a college part of town and this is often where I am able to find furniture that has been thrown out or disregarded.   When I initially started the project my mode of transportation  were my own two feet.  I would would walk and walk and walk for hours sometimes finding very little, other times finding many items to photograph quickly.   One thing that has changed since I started  is how far I will travel--I now really have no limits.   This is due in part  to my new mode of transportation: car. But I have found it much harder to find objects in smaller cities and towns.  C.W. Banfield is someone I often admire at the local shows back home in Williamsburg, VA.  Banfield has “a love of nature and a wanderlust” that lead him to journey “down 15,000 miles of hiking trails.”  He is a very good nature photographer who works with large format negatives.  He also said that his hike through the entire Appalachian trail changed his life.This leads me to believe that there is a strong importance  in “the journey” in a spiritual sense, not just in the sense of photography [1].    One thing that really stands out in Banfield’s work is the scale he likes to print in, which is at least 40 in. x 50 in.  Scale of prints is something that definitely plays a roll in the effect of the images.  I like to think that the journey is mediative and part of the thrill but at times it certainly can be stressful.  According to Maya Clinc “Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional well-being and your overall health [2].”  I believe this to be true and that’s how I felt  initially with this project.   When I took on the project I really enjoyed the search.  Now I am little stressed about making good images every week and finding enough items to complete weeks goals.  Last time I was out I didn’t find anything to shoot related to the project, but at least I have a new project in mind.


[1] Banfield, C.W.. "About C.W.." The Wilderness Gallery - C.W. Banfield. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.fadinglightphotography.com/about_c_w_>.

[2] "Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are - MayoClinic.com." Mayo Clinic medical information and tools for healthy living - MayoClinic.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070>.

Artist Entry 3: John Shimon & Julie Lindemann

Two things have been on my mind lately in relation to my on-going series.  The first is the importance of the nostalgic aspect of the project and the second is the journey that one must take to achieve one's goals.  In this case the goal is to take photographs of objects before they are gone forever. In thinking about these things I came across the work of John Shimon and Julie Lindemann. They are photographers that collaborate on all of their projects.   The project which caused me to become interested in their work was the “real photo survey” project.  This project is a commissioned work in which Shimon and Lindemann photograph people in the small town of Manitowoc using Palladium printing process [1].  It’s really interesting to me that they use this old process to draw attention to their photographs.   They really do have an aged appearance that gives them a feeling of nostalgia. In an interview by Pierre Filliquet  with Shimon and Lindemann they say that by drawing through all phases of photography they can see the same things in different ways [2].  This statement helps me to conclude one thing I try to make a big deal about as an photographer.  The process is just as important as the actual photograph.   They also said “To photograph these people and print the portraits in platinum or gum makes their existence monumental in a quiet way. It also brings associations with history and art history.”   So, using a process that makes something appear old makes it capable of historical value whether it was shot today or 50 years.  This is different from my black and white conversion with added textures.  I think the idea of the image quality / manipulation to be an interesting concept.


Biography

John Shimon (b. 1961) & Julie Lindemann (b. 1957) have been photographing collaboratively since the mid-1980s. 

We met as college students in Madison where we formed a band, Hollywood Autopsy. John sold his flock of sheep and we moved to New York a few weeks after graduation. Within a year, we realized we could best photograph what we knew and returned to Wisconsin.
Our projects include St. Nazianz, The Elders, Animal Husbandry, Salon Portraits, Midwestern Rebellion, Pictures of Non-Famous People, One Million Years is Three Seconds, Go-Go Girls, and What We Do Here . This work examines the remote corner of the rural Midwest where we have spent most of our lives. In 1989, we moved our studio into a 19th century warehouse storefront building in downtown Manitowoc, Wisconsin. We ran Neo-Post-Now Gallery in the storefront for a brief time.
Solo shows have been mounted at many galleries and museums including Sarah Bowen Gallery (New York), Wendy Cooper Gallery (Chicago), Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Wisconsin Academy GalleryWisconsin Academy Gallery (Madison) and Milwaukee Art Museum (Milwaukee). Our prints are in numerous public collections including the Art Institute of Chicago, Milwaukee Art Museum, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Wisconsin Historical Society. We've photographed for Fortune, Metropolis, New York, People, and The New York Times Magazine and have received project grants from the Wisconsin Arts Board and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Our work is featured in Wisconsin Then and Now: The Wisconsin Sesquicentennial Rephotography Project by Nicolette Bromberg (University of Wisconsin Press, 2001), Photography's Antiquarian Avant-Garde: The New Wave in Old Processes by Lyle Rexer (Harry N. Abrams, 2002), Only Skin Deep: Changing Visions of the American Self by Coco Fusco and Brian Wallis (Harry N. Arbrams, 2003), Season's Gleamings: The Art of the Aluminum Christmas Tree (Melcher Media, 2004), and Unmasked & Anonymous: Shimon & Lindemann Consider Portraiture by Lisa Hostetler (Milwaukee Art Museum, 2008).
We have bachelors degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison (1983), and Masters degrees from Illinois State University, Normal (1989) where we studied under Rhondal McKinney and photographed for the Rural Documentary Collection. We are Assistant Professors of Art at Lawrence University.

[1] Brehmer, Debra. "Real photo postcard survey project | Portrait Society Gallery." Portrait Society Gallery | A gallery devoted to portrait-related art work.. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2010. <http://portraitsocietygallery.wordpress.com/weekly-found-portrait/>.

[2] Filliquet, Pierre. "shimon and lindemann." accueil galerie photo. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2010. <http://www.galerie-photo.com/shimon-lindemann_english.html>.

[3] Shimon, John , and Julie Lindemann (. "J. Shimon & J. Lindemann, Photographers." J. Shimon & J. Lindemann, Photographers. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://www.shimonlindemann.com/>.

Interview: http://www.galerie-photo.com/shimon-lindemann_english.html
Gallery: http://portraitsocietygallery.wordpress.com/weekly-found-portrait/
Aritist Website: http://www.shimonlindemann.com/

all images © John Shimon & Julie Lindemann

Wafaa Bilal

Wafaa Bilal -

Quote:
Wafaa said in relation to his Domestic Tension project that he was trying to “highlight the dehumanizing effect on the human. ”  I liked this from a conceptual stand point.  Often times people talk about video games having a negative effect on kids and leading them to do violent acts.  Wafaa explained  that by placing himself in the game  people started to take sides with him and would actually pull the gun in directions away from him to keep him from getting shot.

Something New I Learned:
Wafaa definitely had experienced a lot of pain in his life.  He had lost is brother and father and lived in a constant state of fear.  It really helps me to understand  his work to learn that.

Themes in Wafaa’s work:
Political, Cultural. Religion, Human Interaction

Thoughts:
Wafaa was  very clearly spoken about his projects.  I came away with a much better understanding of what he was trying to convey.  Most of his work had a element of self-inflicted pain.   Through this pain and performances the audience was introduced to the ideas of what he had struggled through by being an Iraqi. He described his themes in projects such as Domestic Tension  as ‘conflict zone vs. comfort zone, aesthetic please vs. aesthetic pain, virtual platform vs. physical platform.’  The idea of virtual reality vs reality is something that I feel not many people have touched on.  I don’t think I wouldn’t instantly assume his project Domestic Tension was real if I had come across the site.   But after watching or playing it for awhile I surely would.

What I found to be most compelling in Wafaa’s work:
I’ve pretty much only talked about his one series of work so far and it is probably my favorite:  “Domestic Tension.”  Wafaa placed himself in a  real world setting for a month where people could log on and shoot him with paintball guns.  Paintballs certainly are really painful and I can’t imagine being shot at 24/7 like it was at some points  during his project.  It was the little stories that he told about this project that really that made me enjoy what he was doing.   He said there was one person logged in at one point that kept shooting him over and over.  He looked at the camera and said, “you can keep shooting. I’m going to eat my sandwich.” At that point the person realized it wasn’t just a game and felt guilty, stopping his shooting.  In this way he probably changed someones outlook completely on the situation.  I think it’s every artists goal to reach people and Wafaa certainly does a good job of it.

My Questions:
You seem to surround and place yourself in painful situations with a desire to make people more aware of the situations around the world, how is this more influential than  reporting on reality?   To rephrase, how does the artist have  a bigger impact than the media?  I think that Wafaa showed us that he was able to  bond with people on a very personal level.  With his interactive setups people where able to engage and talk with him personally.  The best example is the group that  was protecting him from getting shot in ‘Domestic Tension.’

2.  In your series  “One Chair” you have a computer program that makes the video interact with live subjects.  To me this is  a very strong way to communicate with large numbers of people, especially since with the addition of people things change to a great degree.  Do you have any plans to take this project further?  This wasn’t specifically addressed.   He didn’t even talk about this project, however, I think I can see a clear progression in his work.  It all tends to focus on politics and human interaction.  So in a way he never stopped working on  “One Chair,” he just followed a progression onto newer, but stylistically similar, works.

Wafaa Bilal

1. You seem to surround and place yourself in painful situations with a desire to make people more aware of the situations around the world, how is this more influential than taking from reality?

2.  In your series one chair you have a computer program that makes the video interact with live subjects.  To me this is seems like a very strong way to communicate with large numbers of people especially if the addition of more people plays an impact on what occurs.  Do you have any plans to take this project further?

Idea Blog #3 - Personification

Personification

I hope that by showing a collection of found furniture that a sense of personification will be conveyed to the viewer.  To me these objects are very much living and breathing entities.  We can only begin to image what they have witnessed.  I’m sure a lot of us formalized with Pixar movies and the magic they bring to ordinary objects.  David Ristau comments that give normal human stories to fantastical characters and make you love them.  I hope that I can bring people interested to something that goes over looked.  Maybe they would even be prompted to do something with found objects as well and make there own found art.   On continuing my thoughts on my images I had realized my annoyance with the constant lighting setup I was creating.  Now I shoot in many different styles  of lighting.  When I look at the gallery it almost reminds my of work by Andy Warhol.   However unlike Andy Warhol we said “I want to be a machine, and I feel that whatever I do and do machine-like” I do not want my work to seem mechanical” [2], I’ve always been technologically intelligent and been quick to grasp new concepts but that is not the focus of my project.  I don’t want to be a machine I don’t want everything to  look the same.  If anything I stress the importance of finding a workflow and manipulating your work in post-production to amplify what you are trying to say.   However the repetition with settle changes in my digital work is amplified to me when I look at galleries which contain 20 copies of the same image. 

[1]  Ristau, David. "The Daily Discourse: The Amazing Success of Pixar Films - Creating Dreams - The Oxen Group -- Seeking Alpha." Stock Market News, Opinion & Analysis, Investing Ideas -- Seeking Alpha. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2010. <http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/429248-the-oxen-group/76765-the-daily-discourse-the-amazing-success-of-pixar-films-creating-dreams>.

[2] "Pop Art - the art of popular culture." free art lessons - learn how to draw, paint and design. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2010. <http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/pop_art.htm>.

This picture is very literal in it's interpretation of personification but it certainly gives something to an image  that would be otherwise boring.  I hope through the use of light that I can bring life to my my objects in a less literal manor.

Barrett, Conor. "Day 275 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!." Welcome to Flickr - Photo Sharing. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2010. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/colonelchi/4441966241/>.