We talked about how these images have a sense of no time (not timeless – but as in time not moving forward or back)
Hide and seek was something that you brought up which lead to the popping up of the term worm hole. Made me think of the book A Wrinkle in Time (which I haven't read since middle school so the reason that popped up for me is a little fuzzy but it did so I thought I'd put it out there)
Voids and looking into voids is also something that came up
We talked about the narrative aspect that these have going on right now and how connected that feels to Alice and Wonderland.
There is an element of theater going on, have you considered adding another element to mix up the way we see you instead of hiding your face from the camera.
The glasses form your fish photo in your last portfolio or using a wig?
The digging photos it looks like we are in a big hole looking out at you and that is something that you can really with.
Margot asked a really great question about instead of the pulling back of escape is there a kind of running towards?
Be keeping in mind the intra text (what our mind fills into the photos like looking at it and seeing Alice in Wonderland even though that is not what they are fully about) are there ways to push that and play with it more.
In terms of what to look at we mostly what came up in that category was more adult type escapism stuff. Pan's Labyrith came up (which I know you've seen already, but maybe take another peek an see if though this new lens is has some more meaning for you)
Major words that came up and seemed to stick out were: Imaginary science, making evidence, memorial, sacred, realist versus romantic, sublime.
Sublime = danger and are these images poking fun at sublime or are the settling for the best sublime we can reach today?
What's the emotional spin here? (beauty in art came up with this question too)
We said as a whole the body of work is a sublime but as individual images they are near misses and there is a nice tension in that. It also brings an element of humor (do you want that?)
What does it mean for you to be using a canning jar
Are you a Thoreauvian?
There was a comment about the energy of these images, right now they seem a little static/ a little safe. Like you are friends with nature.
Get freaked out/ maybe go spend the night out in nature (or would it be your back yard as that is a near nature)
Be thinking about temporality of things and how time is a factor in your images.
Also as a character do you need a trait for your outfit.
Suggestions included: monocle, pocket watch. Something subtle but is defiantly there and gives you a little more then a neutral stance.
Things to look at Le Musee Patamencanique (which is closed at the moment but here is a thing that Matt wrote about it)
Also take a peek at Bryan Burkhardt
You used the phrase 'photos that never really happen' which brought to mind that whole thing of do we remember something because we were there or do we remember it because we have seen photos of it. And what does it me to alter photos that we do 'remember' to be a more accurate depiction or a less accurate one?
I love the idea of you appropriating your own history – I think that is another great phrase for you to be thinking about as you get going.
The phrase impossible narrative popped up.
We talked about the crafty-ness aspect. I think the conclusion that we came to was that they won't look crafty when they are really well finished pieces and if you really consider the way the outside and the inside are working together, and making all of them somewhat uniform. OR if you push the crafty-ness to a whole different place, Maggie talked about making the ones that are about birthdays to look like cakes and play up the object-ness of them.
Play with the layering that could happen inside bringing one plane closer to where the viewer looks into the box, obscure the field of vision by putting stuff in there.
Take advantage of their box-ness, play with weight and size, big says something way different then small.
Think about packaging and look at it.
Content has to drive form (even though we talked about form a lot) Keep playing with the images find what you want to be using and then start sketching out what the box is going to be like.
You talked a bit about what you thinking when you made the images you showed. Things that I picked up on were; you were thinking about placing yourself in places that are uncomfortable for you, where we are afraid of being part of it, on the edge of things.
When talking about natural versus not natural the phrase pulling out or supporting came up, the hand of man as helpful or harmful and those tensions. The space of uncertainty.
We also talked a great deal about places you might want to try going, ones that came up are Fellsway, Walden pond and Ponka Poag.
This week was a good sketch just keep pushing.
Things that came up to look at were:
Kate Barnes poetry
Mary Oliver
we talked about your direction, the observation of that moment when a lives plan is taken off course. I think that it is a really good idea to stay neutral in terms of weather this is a positive or negative change. It's good that you are already thinking about how to gain access to different classes. Really consider bringing a sound recorder. Maybe generating a few general questions that you ask all of the women that you are photographing.
Also photographing people in different stages of this change, already have a child, child on the way (the process of getting ready for that).
The term contemporary cultural issues – staying focused on the inside/ outside dichotomy of pregnancy, this will keep your project from being cute.
Also my friend Kate has agreed to meet you and talk about what you are up to. We get together every Tuesday when she gets out of class at 6:50 so you are more then welcome to come with me next week. We typically got for hot cocoa or dessert.
I loved when you said that ice is a feeble attempt at preserving death and flesh.
The ice bowls relationship with the plate of meat – mentally they have to weigh the same amount is there a way to make that happen in reality. (one solid block of ice?)
Also keep making two versions of all the diptychs one with you in it and one with out. See what this brings. We talked about the difference between the noun of prepared and the verb of preparing.
Keep thinking about the basic elements/ building blocks and how they apearin you images.
The act of preserving the death is also in tern is part of preserving ourselves.
Words that came up to keep thinking about were: Salt, Smoked, Dehydrated
I'm just really excited to see where you are going with this. There were so many lovely subtle touches, like the ice cube that was out of the bowl placed in the same location as the clam and the slight pink of the blood in the ice bowl. Keep up those surprises.
I think that the biggest sort of response was to the process decision, committing to the alt pro before starting to really shoot this.
So for starters we talked about maybe shooting digital for visual research and finding The Shots that are most fitting to what your ideas and then re make them 4x5. This slowing of the moment and re making changes the meaning in a positive way for you.
We talked a great deal about the why do I care question? If this is the work you want to make and you really care about it you'll find the reason that other people will care.
When we were talking about who you look at and you were describing why you like Niki S. Lee's work Parts you said that you like the aspect that she gets to be anybody. Think more about that, is this anybody thing part of why you obscured your boyfriend with his work last time? You're the only person who knows who is in those pictures until you tell us.
We also talked a little bit about beauty and your view on that.
The biggest thing to keep thinking about as you are sorting this stuff out is the Why?
You expressed that you are still thinking and working with expectations internal and external (as in form your family) ones. Also about working with the idea of cleansing.
Margot asked the question about your Syntax. Is it broad including a lot that we can gather information from (like the picture of you walking up the steps looking over your shoulder) or is it really paired down to a few simple elements that speak volumes?
A phrase that you used that I thought was really great was negotiating these expectations. It brought to mind this image of you in my head talking to these expectations and drawing up documents to sign (all very lawyer ish).
Another word that you used that I think is important to figure out is Ritual. What does it mean to you and your work.
We also talked a little bit about identity formation.
Cinematic feel?
We talked about the moment experienced and reproduced which was also a wonderful phrase and I think is a style of working that really seems to be working for you.
Stuff to look at...
Julie Beckmann
The PRC family show, which I couldn't find in the archive (Margot do you know if it was maybe a different place?)
We talked a bit about the key ideas behind you past work.
Words you used that jumped out at me
- human superiority
- delicate
- fragile
- off balance
With 'off balance' in reference to your work are you commenting on the off balanceness, illustrating it, trying to fix it?
Have you tried collecting bits of nature that stand out to you to use?
I would think about the words Evidence and Fossil
We also talked about a bunch of things to look at/ try out…
- try 'collecting' pictures of things/ places/ what have you that illustrate the off balance that you are talking about (the things that drive you to make you work)
- go to a natural history museum
Also check out this link it is Photographs of when the natural history museum in nyc was being constructed THEY ARE FANTASTIC!
Take a look at Kahn and Selenick, This is the web site buy I definitely recommend finding one of their books, it is part of the experience of the book that makes their work so fantastic.
Also mentioned was Teun Hocks (this is what came up in a quick google, but I would dig deeper)
Seeing his stuff made me think of Robert Parke Harrison a little so maybe he's worth taking a gander at.
Joseph Cornell – specifically the boxes he made (again this is from a quick google search I would dig a little deeper if it sparks your interest)
We talked about the experience of interacting with the work (old and new)
The moment of discovery
What I liked about your last project was that sense of hidden layers and getting first to see this surface and then by opening the book, or looking up the skirt there was a moment of 'wait, there is something more here'
Then we talked about the new stuff a bunch!
Take a look at curiosity cabinets, arm chair travel, view masters
Are you thinking about making your own images or using found images? Or altering found images to make new images?
We talked about the possibilities of playing with size and weight and what you can do with the outside.
If you want to still meet up on Friday, you can borrow my view master and reels for the weekend. I have class at 12:20 so anytime before that.
Someone mentioned The Family Players but I was having trouble finding any information.
Also I put a link in Linday's section for the Natural History Museum in nyc being set up you might also really enjoy it.
Interpersonal and Intrapersonal were things/ terms that you talked about a bit but how would you define the appearance of them in your work.
I really enjoy the sewing box.
Specifically the pages that talk about your identity here versus in Kansas and the ones that talk about what characteristic you identify in yourself with your parents. – the tree, your father's feet…
I think the questions you are tackling and working with are great in this really focused manner. Sewing is a way of story telling, and the pacing of the box was really well done. I liked the way some of the pages got caught on each other.
Some things to think about…
Identity, how does that factor in your work? (how do you think it will crop up in The Dinner Project?)
Do you think there is something in common with the driving force (whatever it is that is making you want to do this work) of this new project and what was behind the sewing box?
We talked mostly about what's to come and strategies for finding families for your dinner project
Is it a performance?
How is your precense going to change the dynamic of the family
Video? Sound?
What does it mean to eat together? How would you define together?
We talked about the fashionyness (I think that word is made up) of the images.
- Not a bad thing
- Can be used as a tool as part of your art vocabulary to help you express what you want.
We also touched on art vs. entertainment?
- I'm not sure we reached any firm conclusion but I do think that there was a great discussion of the stylistic approach as a type of tool. I wouldn't worry about it so much at the moment, just make and see where it goes.
The play of words that kept popping up was interesting and I would think about that some more
Two example that came up were the words Act and Whole
The Act of making, or how to Act?
Hole? Or Whole?
What is your definition of Magical Realism? How are you using it? How are you using a sense of humor? Is the light a character in this work? (things to think about)
It was suggested to look at Anna Gaskell (and another link)
Also she has a book Anna Gaskell (this is the Amazon link but I would check for it in the library)
We talked about the found compositions (the marshmallows over the grill) versus your set up still life and how there is a common thread of some kind.
You used the word Primal – what is your definition of that (something to think about)
I have a bunch of questions, nothing that you have to get back to me about right away or anything, just stuff to think about…
You also talked about Flemish Still Life and I was curious who your favorites are and what about them is attractive to you and what do you feel your work has in common (in terms of meaning as well as style).
I would encourage when you are doing more tediously set up stuff that you do it two ways, first the intuitive way how ever you set it up. Then a second time where you work the details of the set up. The thing with set up shots is you have control of all the elements so the details become so important (I'm sure you know all of this…)
I really loved the detail of the wet spot on the table cloth where the water glass was sitting – that's a great detail and you can really push it.
We talked more about the style in which the images were made and how even though you were using a throw away camera the still process a Mollyness
Key things that were mentioned:
- Drape of the kids arm
- The compositions
- Filling the far edge of the frame and having a great deal of depth in the center
Think about what is your ideological vision.
You talked about urban somethings that you want to tackle this term – you brought up Boys and Girls Club, Youth on Fire
While you're in the process of making those contacts and setting that up work on making a release form for parents to sign.
We really liked some of things happening in the new images. It's good to see you continuing to play and push your use of light and the frame.
I really like the dialog between the sofa wallpaper picture and the new dark one in the woods (the fetus one) I think that there is something in that 'real' vs. fabricated environment in your quest to explore life.
you talked a great deal about 'experiencing life' and examining that. some key words you mentioned that stuck out to me were
- bound to boxes
-focused
-blinders
-wanting to look left and right but feeling limited
-appreciate others
We talked about how these are 'bigger'/ more general questions then your previous work which tended to be more specific
Be aware of the impulse to romantisize these ideas
Take a quick listen to the Adventures in the Simple Life episode of This American Life.
