My initial material on cans I am leaving to develop for another time. Have become drawn to trialling projection and photography taken in certain ways – I recognise it is a continuation of previous approach to work, but now giving the time to the idea itself, rather than as a means of conveying other pieces – an exploration of the meaning of a technique, where the content is for now taking second place.
In museum photographs looking for a sense of ghost objects, so more disembodied than reflections. Planning to combine the projections into this idea, so setting up reflections of objects not there, moving and ghostly, still animated by residual users.
100 words
Three questions
1. Reflection or disembodied object. Where is the transition, meniscus, membrane.
2. I’m using the word ghostly to convey an idea of the past and presence, but mean to avoid supernatural and spiritualist meanings – ghostly in the sense that the same molecules breathed by ancient peoples are still around and breathed by us today. Better words?
3. Does there have to be a third question?
Layers replicating the object. Still the object reproduces, like copies of copies.
Just visible, the ghost of a dress.
I am looking for the angles where the real object and the reflection are confused and ambiguous.
The wrapped object may or may not be there – you can’t tell where it is reflected from.
Disembodied objects, against a sympathetic, neutral, evocative background.
Disembodied objects against a busier background.
Could look for juxtapositions of actual and reflections.
Feedback from group critique
Other worldly, real/ethereal, there/not there. ambiguous, hard to pick out.
Not digital manipulations, therefore not a fallacy - actual visual reality.
Unnatural preservation of objects beyond their functionality.
The present and past coexisting.
Antiquated - old literature, maps on walls, faded imagery, old scrolls.
Delicate, a mix of times. Untouchable.
Trace of people in objects.
Continuous value of objects - ghosting of them.
The soul or essence of objects.
Triggers the imagination with clues.
Reflection
There are certain words I use alot in my practice, and some I am trying not to overuse. To me, ghost objects is a good shorthand for something, but not precise for my intended meaning. If this was a finished piece of work, I would have written passages over and over, trying to distil and define just the right words - the essence, the suggestion, what truth the reflection reveals, and so on.
The group crits are much better and deeper this year - a shared experience. I was really pleased with the feedback, as I was unsure if the images would as yet convey what I am working on and thinking about, as they are not fully worked through - material as yet rather than considered images.
27th April 2012
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