Jamie Lawyer
1) Your work is about psychological trauma and coping with it. How important for you is the specificity of this trauma? Do you aim to show the source of trauma or only the outcome?
2) Are you about subtlety in images or shocking the audience? What would be your aim in the future?
3) Could you explain what is the role of scale and repetition in your work.
4) What do you aim with your work? What is the discourse you want to engage your audience in?
5) Who are the artists/writers you associate with?
6) Do you explore trauma on personal or social level and what is the reason for you emphasis?
7) As an emerging artist, what venues would be ideal for your agenda? What would be the most effective ways to reach the audience?
Jon Philip Sheridan
1) Are your works about representing ideas or delivering sensations?
2) Formulated concept or formal exploration: which is more essential when you begin a new work and why?
3) Considering the Inflection installation, what emphasis do you put on process? Is the end result the goal or the process itself that becomes essential?
4) What is the subject matter of your work? Is it about aesthetics, political topics, social phenomena, human nature, existentialism?
5) How does your work connect to the specific exhibition space, does it respond or conform to it?
6) Do you aim at galleries or public spaces? Could you explain why?
7) How do you want to influence your public? What do you want to make them think about?
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Studio visit: Julika Rudelius
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.
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.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Artist Review 7: Caleb Charland
Significance: I really appreciate his photographic, sculptural and kinetic explorations that bring the images beyond the process and the demonstration of it. I see the scientific not as the focus but as a vehicle to explore balance, fragility and time, maybe one can see the topic as existential. Yet, I was disappointed by the way Charland and others describe his work - it is just an experiment, curiosity. OK, and what about the breath amplifier by Scott Snibbe, who states plainly that his work is NOT about technology. What about Christopher Bucklow's famous silhouettes, they are not about process at all, however, remind of the more recent works by Charland. It is interesting to see in what context people put their work in. Can Charland's work be more than experiment if he presents it in another way or includes social, psychological or political hints?
Bio: Caleb Charland graduated in 2004 with a BFA in photography from the Massachusetts College of Art, Boston. His work has been included in juried exhibitions throughout the United States, and he is represented by Susan Maasch Art, Portland, Maine. Charland may be reached at calebcharland@hotmail.com.
Quotes:
1) "Using the laws of physics as a springboard, Caleb Charland puts elements such as fire, water, and man-made compounds to the artistic test in his series Demonstrations. In these alchemic images, he captures scientific phenomena in moments of still life as well as full-tilt action, calling to mind such forebears as Edgerton and his freeze-frame milk droplets." http://www.aperture.org/apertureprize/w2007-3.php
2) "Carefully planned and meticulously executed, his Demonstration images consist of precisely controlled, yet decidedly low-tech, sets of actions performed for the camera. ... playful use of allusion and illusion appears regularly throughout his projects."
http://mazzeogallery.blogspot.com/2010/04/caleb-charland.html
Work:
one of his 4x5 "bacteriographic" negatives
Interview: School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Representation: http://www.michaelmazzeo.com/
Web Site: http://www.calebcharland.com/
Bio: Caleb Charland graduated in 2004 with a BFA in photography from the Massachusetts College of Art, Boston. His work has been included in juried exhibitions throughout the United States, and he is represented by Susan Maasch Art, Portland, Maine. Charland may be reached at calebcharland@hotmail.com.
Quotes:
1) "Using the laws of physics as a springboard, Caleb Charland puts elements such as fire, water, and man-made compounds to the artistic test in his series Demonstrations. In these alchemic images, he captures scientific phenomena in moments of still life as well as full-tilt action, calling to mind such forebears as Edgerton and his freeze-frame milk droplets." http://www.aperture.org/apertureprize/w2007-3.php
2) "Carefully planned and meticulously executed, his Demonstration images consist of precisely controlled, yet decidedly low-tech, sets of actions performed for the camera. ... playful use of allusion and illusion appears regularly throughout his projects."
http://mazzeogallery.blogspot.com/2010/04/caleb-charland.html
Work:
one of his 4x5 "bacteriographic" negativesInterview: School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Representation: http://www.michaelmazzeo.com/
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Topic 6: Process
Significance: An important aspect of my photo abstract work has been the process itself and asking the question: is it to remain hidden or it becomes the very essence? As a quick comparison between the 2 opposites: work by Dave Ford - Truck Drawings which reveal how they were made and Wolfgang Tillmanns' Blushes. I could not find how the Blushes were made and the public, unlike in many other cases, don't seem to care about the making either.
A systematic graph about process based art:
http://www.jimcampbell.tv/portfolio/miscellaneous_references/formula.swf
Quotes
1) "My own engagement with digital art has, in general, little to do with technology. Thematically, the work is about interdependence, perception, social interaction, attention, awareness, concentration, metaphor, and spirituality. What seems to make the work successful is that viewers are unaware of the technology. And I believe this is the characteristic of most successful artwork – to transcend the medium, becoming more purely the idea being transmitted. " Scott Snibbe,
http://www.brown.edu/Research/dichtung-digital/2006/01/Snibbe/index.htm
2) "Unlike a conventional camera Nadia has no display of the photographs to be taken, but rather gives the judgment of aesthetic quality to the machine, displaying only a current rating as feedback about when and what to snap."
http://www.andrewkupresanin.com/
A systematic graph about process based art:
http://www.jimcampbell.tv/portfolio/miscellaneous_references/formula.swf
Quotes
1) "My own engagement with digital art has, in general, little to do with technology. Thematically, the work is about interdependence, perception, social interaction, attention, awareness, concentration, metaphor, and spirituality. What seems to make the work successful is that viewers are unaware of the technology. And I believe this is the characteristic of most successful artwork – to transcend the medium, becoming more purely the idea being transmitted. " Scott Snibbe,
http://www.brown.edu/Research/dichtung-digital/2006/01/Snibbe/index.htm
2) "Unlike a conventional camera Nadia has no display of the photographs to be taken, but rather gives the judgment of aesthetic quality to the machine, displaying only a current rating as feedback about when and what to snap."
http://www.andrewkupresanin.com/
Nadia from Andrew Kupresanin on Vimeo.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
TED Lectures #1
1) Dan Gilbert, Why are we happy?
2) Barry Scwartz, On the Paradox of Choice
On almost the same topic, some ideas are repeated. It is about what makes people satisfied or more precisely why satisfaction isn't good enough anymore. Expectations of people are way overblown and that is what creates discontent. Freedom of choice, indeed, is another reason for feeling bad. I do agree and their argument reminds me of Lars von Trier's Manderlay
Whoever is free bears the yoke of responsibility and not everyone wants that burden. Same is with bigger variety when buying or having more options. We choose one but feel sorry for the ones missed. "Missing opportunity" gets more and more depressing as there are more opportunities.
Schwartz argues that some places people are unhappy because of too many choices other places because too little. True. But then was very disappointing with the end of the lecture:
"Income redistribution will make everyone better off". Who is going to decide that? There was one recent such redistribution, when GM was bailed out. Who is getting the redistributed money and why? Can anyone impose on people to lower their expectations?
2) Barry Scwartz, On the Paradox of Choice
On almost the same topic, some ideas are repeated. It is about what makes people satisfied or more precisely why satisfaction isn't good enough anymore. Expectations of people are way overblown and that is what creates discontent. Freedom of choice, indeed, is another reason for feeling bad. I do agree and their argument reminds me of Lars von Trier's Manderlay
Whoever is free bears the yoke of responsibility and not everyone wants that burden. Same is with bigger variety when buying or having more options. We choose one but feel sorry for the ones missed. "Missing opportunity" gets more and more depressing as there are more opportunities.
Schwartz argues that some places people are unhappy because of too many choices other places because too little. True. But then was very disappointing with the end of the lecture:
"Income redistribution will make everyone better off". Who is going to decide that? There was one recent such redistribution, when GM was bailed out. Who is getting the redistributed money and why? Can anyone impose on people to lower their expectations?
6 Quotes #1
1) "Every man is a consumer, and ought to be a producer. He is by constitution expensive, and needs to be rich. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Conduct of Life, part 3 (1860)
2) “We are looking to brands for poetry and for spirituality, because we're not getting those things from our communities or from each other.” Naomi Klein, No Logo
3) "It's really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them." Steve Jobs, BusinessWeek, May 25 1998"
4) “Once they learn to like the beverage, they would come back in the morning and become regulars.” Howard Schultz
5) So, if consumers are like roaches, then marketers must forever be dreaming up new concoctions for industrial-strength Raid."
(A quote of a marketing guru, forgot the name and don't have the book right now) Naomi Klein, No Logo
6) "Unlimited economic growth has the marvelous quality of stilling discontent while maintaining privilege, a fact that has not gone unnoticed among liberal economists."
Noam Chomsky, For Reasons of State, Introduction (1973)
It is scary to be free and have no worries. Figuring out what to do with free time and finding a direction is challenging. Big companies constantly fabricate dreams and engage people in pursuing them. In order to be big you have to create people's needs rather than answering them. Life is now more convenient but that does not seem to make it easier - people's needs and expectations have gone up. Essentials as communication become more complicated and expensive as internet takes over and new devices become a must. The paradox of becoming more affluent and free and in the same time more dependent is something that inspires my work.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Conduct of Life, part 3 (1860)
3) "It's really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them." Steve Jobs, BusinessWeek, May 25 1998"
4) “Once they learn to like the beverage, they would come back in the morning and become regulars.” Howard Schultz
5) So, if consumers are like roaches, then marketers must forever be dreaming up new concoctions for industrial-strength Raid."
(A quote of a marketing guru, forgot the name and don't have the book right now) Naomi Klein, No Logo
6) "Unlimited economic growth has the marvelous quality of stilling discontent while maintaining privilege, a fact that has not gone unnoticed among liberal economists."
Noam Chomsky, For Reasons of State, Introduction (1973)
It is scary to be free and have no worries. Figuring out what to do with free time and finding a direction is challenging. Big companies constantly fabricate dreams and engage people in pursuing them. In order to be big you have to create people's needs rather than answering them. Life is now more convenient but that does not seem to make it easier - people's needs and expectations have gone up. Essentials as communication become more complicated and expensive as internet takes over and new devices become a must. The paradox of becoming more affluent and free and in the same time more dependent is something that inspires my work.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Artist review #6: Gebhard Sengmüller
Significance:
What first caught my attention were the light bulbs (the small appliance type, 2500 of them!) because of my sympathy for the low tech. The warm and dim light creates a special feeling, like a ritual. Is that engineering or art? We are looking at very conspicuous image transmitter employing the basics of TV. It reminds of Daniel Rozin Peg Mirror (2007). What I like about Sengmuller's work is its focus on revealing a process. All the 2500 cables are exposed and take a sculptural quality. In his work transferring image is obviously a divide more than connection, the device turns reality into abstraction. Can we talk like that about media in general?
Yet, many installations transforming sensitory experience have concept but without a big subject matter. For that reason some call them "science museum art". A good question when looking at media/interactive work - does it do anything beyond showing a process or effect?
Biography:
Gebhard Sengmüller is an artist who works in the field of media technology. He is currently based in Vienna, Austria. Since 1992, he has been developing projects and installations that focus on the history of electronic media, creating alternative ordering systems for media content, and constructing autogenerative networks. His work has been shown in Europe, the United States, and Japan, among others in venues such as the Ars Electronica, Linz; the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London; Postmasters Gallery, New York City; and the ICC Center, Tokyo.
1) “A Parallel Image” is an electronic camera obscura. ... The result is an apparatus that attempts a highly elaborate parallel transmission of every single pixel from sender to receiver. This is only possible by connecting camera and monitor using about 2,500 cables. Unlike conventional electronic image transmission procedures, “A Parallel Image” is technologically completely transparent, conveying to the viewer a correspondence between real world and transmission that can be sensually experienced.
http://www.gebseng.com/08_a_parallel_image/
2) Black cube installation: A film sequence (35mm motion picture, 24 frames/sec.) is cut up and the individual frames are mounted as slides. They’re then distributed among 24 slide projectors that are all focused on the same screen (the exact same point).
Via electronic control of the projectors, these individual images are then reassembled-in an extremely cumbersome way-into a chronological sequence.
The formula “one projector per frame” thus gives rise to something that at least rudimentarily (and inevitably very inaccurately, due to the lack of precision of the mechanical devices) suggests a motion picture. The film soundtrack emerges as a byproduct - the mechanical clattering of the projectors changing slides.
http://www.gebseng.com/04_slidemovie/
Work:
Interview:
Media art has already become something of a negative buzzword. The term can almost no longer be used, because every kind of art is actually media art. It has to be more precisely defined to refer to art with electronic media, or in my case with electromechanical media. You could call me a media artist, because I play with the medium and because I’m more concerned with the medium than the content.
http://www.gebseng.com/publications/artists_as_inventors_excerpt_sengmueller.pdf
Representation: http://www.fotosengmueller.com/
Did not find any galleries representing him. He has been sponsored by tech companies to do his work and is also a professional architecture photographer.
Web site: http://www.gebseng.com
What first caught my attention were the light bulbs (the small appliance type, 2500 of them!) because of my sympathy for the low tech. The warm and dim light creates a special feeling, like a ritual. Is that engineering or art? We are looking at very conspicuous image transmitter employing the basics of TV. It reminds of Daniel Rozin Peg Mirror (2007). What I like about Sengmuller's work is its focus on revealing a process. All the 2500 cables are exposed and take a sculptural quality. In his work transferring image is obviously a divide more than connection, the device turns reality into abstraction. Can we talk like that about media in general?
Yet, many installations transforming sensitory experience have concept but without a big subject matter. For that reason some call them "science museum art". A good question when looking at media/interactive work - does it do anything beyond showing a process or effect?
Biography:
Gebhard Sengmüller is an artist who works in the field of media technology. He is currently based in Vienna, Austria. Since 1992, he has been developing projects and installations that focus on the history of electronic media, creating alternative ordering systems for media content, and constructing autogenerative networks. His work has been shown in Europe, the United States, and Japan, among others in venues such as the Ars Electronica, Linz; the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London; Postmasters Gallery, New York City; and the ICC Center, Tokyo.
1) “A Parallel Image” is an electronic camera obscura. ... The result is an apparatus that attempts a highly elaborate parallel transmission of every single pixel from sender to receiver. This is only possible by connecting camera and monitor using about 2,500 cables. Unlike conventional electronic image transmission procedures, “A Parallel Image” is technologically completely transparent, conveying to the viewer a correspondence between real world and transmission that can be sensually experienced.
http://www.gebseng.com/08_a_parallel_image/
2) Black cube installation: A film sequence (35mm motion picture, 24 frames/sec.) is cut up and the individual frames are mounted as slides. They’re then distributed among 24 slide projectors that are all focused on the same screen (the exact same point).
Via electronic control of the projectors, these individual images are then reassembled-in an extremely cumbersome way-into a chronological sequence.
The formula “one projector per frame” thus gives rise to something that at least rudimentarily (and inevitably very inaccurately, due to the lack of precision of the mechanical devices) suggests a motion picture. The film soundtrack emerges as a byproduct - the mechanical clattering of the projectors changing slides.
http://www.gebseng.com/04_slidemovie/
Work:
Interview:
Media art has already become something of a negative buzzword. The term can almost no longer be used, because every kind of art is actually media art. It has to be more precisely defined to refer to art with electronic media, or in my case with electromechanical media. You could call me a media artist, because I play with the medium and because I’m more concerned with the medium than the content.
http://www.gebseng.com/publications/artists_as_inventors_excerpt_sengmueller.pdf
Representation: http://www.fotosengmueller.com/
Did not find any galleries representing him. He has been sponsored by tech companies to do his work and is also a professional architecture photographer.
Web site: http://www.gebseng.com
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