I only presented the Vacation Industry series, and yet 30 minutes was not enough. I am really glad she spent effort to get into that work - the images as well as the exhibit installation. She talked how my work fits in contemporary photo practices, more precisely documentary, what qualities it has and what it lacks. It seemed that her immediate, detailed and very opinionated response came from similarities in our work. First, Julika has been working as a photojournalist, no idea if she has been doing documentary projects on her own (documentary does not exclude conceptual work using the medium as a vehicle to convey meaning). So she has been not only practicing but making a living of photography. And second, her work is exclusively on political end social topics.
Her main point was - go back and re-photograph... easier said than done. That was my greatest concern, the fact that my work is an exploration. I tried to plan in advance but of course that is possible to an extent. I needed to look at the images I have and pick only a piece from the whole story and then focus on that one aspect of the whole. I got pretty good ideas only after I finished the project. These were focusing on details characteristic of the problem rather than exposing the entire problem. Julika's evaluation:
1) don't mix types of images or styles if you are not fluent in all of them. Some photos are weak and that stands out compared to others.
2) make sure to know exactly what it is about. She did not like the beach images because they were taken in mid day, worst light. Eventually she appreciated them greatly because of the reason to photograph at that time - to show that the beach is empty during the day. That does not make much sense with the other photos unfortunately.
3) Displaying is hard and I did not make a good job. The salon style arrangement does not go with the formally presented works. Look into details.
4) She agreed with me that it is hard to find consistency while photographing. It is difficult to go with an idea and see that it does not translate in images well. In my case some places are full, other empty, some working well, others are a disaster and so on. In her word, that was the reason to stop doing photography, too hard to show something if that something is not so simple and still be honest and true. And the presentation as well, that was the other reason.
5) again, what it is about? waste of land? blunt consumerism and decay? transformation of the landscape? social injustice? environmental problems? economical problems?
How am I going to proceed from now? The meeting coincided with my recent thoughts about documentary - I don't have resources. If one shoot takes me weeks to set up only to find out that my transportation failed me... it is not only discouraging but irrational. I have enough to show people for now and what needs to happen is applying for grants or residencies in order to do my work. I'd better put off that type of work for another time (without forgetting it) and focus on what I can be most productive for now.
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