i want to communicate the ideas in my head that i feel are the most prominent.
the ideas, however, are totally unfounded, and are based on speculation and confusion.
my own reality; nothing more than my perception.
others realities: nothing more than their own perceptions.
time; memory, and the ability to imagine the future.
contingency; random realities colliding, creating sequences.
i have a few images
the sidewalk; surrounded by luscious grass and trees; the existential crisis. i don't know who i am, i don't know where i'm going, i don't know what to do, i don't know if i mean anything. peaceful surroundings that accompany constant vacillation.the bird in a
cage in front of a window; ourselves, contained by our own realities, unable to grasp the concept of a free world. but also asking, is the outside really freedom? or is total lunacy? is this cage freedom because it is our perception of freedom?chr
is and nick jamming jazz; music is a fantastic release from all sorts of realities. every musician's reality is funnelled carefully into the music that they make. which is why music is so important. greg being c
onfronted by mormons; the imposition of new doctrines of self-betterment, of understanding, of consciousness. religion gives happiness, but at what cost? rationality? morality? to be constantly disappointed by the quest for understanding, or to be satisfied with a belief based on bullshit? does rationality even exist? the city at
night; the tinge of beauty that exists in the reality we perceive, though it is indifferent to us. totally indifferent. it's not really even there as anything, we just see the colours. somehow its beautiful; this is our collective reality, or at least the evidence of its existence. i am imagining these ideas projected in public places, at night, and photographing people as they walk through the stream of light; their reality being consumed for just a second by my own actions. they may be oblivious, they may be absorbed. that is the choice of their own reality.
i want my images projected on strangers because they see reality differently. they also leave their reality behind, unknowingly, and enter the world i create, only for a second or two. this world is nothing but my image. the image may impact them, it may not. that is not up to me.
First of all, Greg being confronted by Mormons is pretty funny.
ReplyDeleteAnyways. I think the fact that you have such a strong concept down is great. I really enjoy how you can easily pull so much content from your pieces, and how they are always concept driven. However, sometimes when I see you work, I wonder if you focus too much on the concept. I think it's important that you don't let the piece play second fiddle, as you would be selling yourself short.
Have you considered video for the strangers? Perhaps you could do both and then decide which is stronger. Maybe the reaction would be stronger when seen as a video, and maybe the final piece could be projected.
I completely agree with you about the stranger aspect of the piece. I would suggest going out a few times though, because I want you to get a great photo, and people are shy. I really want this piece to work out for you, because I think it will be great.
-Sara
I already kind of told you what I think of this so I'm going to comment on some things Sara said in her comment. I agree with her when she says you might be selling yourself short by putting the art piece itself second to the concept. Like when I asked you how you would display the images at the end and you said you didn't think it really mattered. I don't know how much you meant that, but I think it's important to figure out exactly what you want to do with the piece itself.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think what Sara said about video is a cool idea. This might be getting crazy, but what if you filmed people walking through the images and then you projected that or those film(s) on city streets?! And that could be how you display the final work?
Maybe that is crazy, but I just don't see this project being displayed anywhere where it'll seem too static. Unless you intentionally display it in some boring, typical way to make some kind of point, I don't know.
I hope this is helpful and I'm looking forward to seeing what you decide to do.
I agree with Sara on the video aspect of the piece. If you had a video copy of the actual stranger being experienced by these images, it will show more of an emotion to the audience than an image would. Also, I am confused about a certain part of the project. Are you taking the images and projecting them, hoping the strangers will react, or are you actually going for the non reaction? I think it would be cool to just see the actual reactions, instead of the ignorance the strangers may show, although that too could also make for a very good project.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do realize that the subjects are meant to be more of a focus than the photos, the pictures still play an integral part in the creation of the piece, and I feel that you're selling yourself short on the technicality of them.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to take some sitting there and really observing people to get a great photo out of this piece, something more memorable than a quick snapshot. How do you plan on displaying them at the very end of the process? Are you just going to put them up on the wall for us to look at? I think it's important that you consider this, or else the concept of the piece could be lost.
I love the philosophical aspect of it that makes it really deep and not straight forward. Maybe a little too philosophical, because i'm actually having a bit of trouble understanding exactly your goal.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it would be easier to understand from the final project itself, but in text i'm a bit confused.
I think it would be really cool if you were to record your own voice saying what you are thinking through each picture. The way you speak and explain things really helps me understand where you are coming from and you have a real philosopical tone to your voice. I would really like to hear your voice instead if read how you speak. I feel like it would be a good way to get to know you in a sense. And to know what you feel and mean by your written words. I dont think you should have the written words at all if you were to speak it, it would be much more pleasureable to hear than to follow along on the page.
ReplyDelete