Wednesday, November 14, 2018

WIP Critique #4








  • What was/is the initial idea, how is it evolving?
    • My initial idea began with an intention of inspecting the cultural aspects that connected different societies. The idea I seem to be heading towards and expanding upon now deals more with the idea of the "other" and how we perceive that unknown, unfamiliar "other" when it is put on display, subjected to examination and critique. For this reason, I am starting to focus more on the types of objects I photograph, mainly non-perishable objects that one would expect to be put on display. However, through the incorporation of mirrors and their reflections, as well as adjustments to the prints' lighting, I hope to add an aura of uncertainty or discomfort, which is what individuals normally experience when they are confronted with what is foreign to them. By presenting objects that would otherwise seem normal in unnatural, uncanny, or otherworldly settings, I hope to effectively encourage the viewer to question the way they comprehend things and to what extent they allow their personal prejudices, views, and customs affect their perceptions of the "other."

  • Why do you feel the images you selected to print for this critique are your strongest, from among the group of new images? (i.e., what was your criteria for selection)
    • I believe that the images I chose to print for this critique are my strongest because I think they clearly incite feelings of uncertainty and confusion, and promote a sense of curiosity and need to question from the viewer. In terms of what I am trying to accomplish with this project, I think these are important points to convey through the images I ended up choosing. When selecting the images I would present, I thought that showcasing a side-by-side of the same subject photographed differently would highlight the importance of perception and how it relates to my ideas surrounding this project. 

  • What specific questions do you have about the work in terms of how someone other than yourself might interpret the imagery?
    • Do you think it is more effective to photograph objects like these, that already have a cultural or personal connotation attached to them, or would my intended message be better conveyed by showcasing objects that are mostly devoid of any kind of political, social, or cultural connotation, and instead manipulate their environments to make the image seem more sinister? Is lighting an important part of this project, or does the composition of the images take precedent over their illumination? Are both equally important in this context? Do you agree with my reasoning for utilizing larger prints? Is it important to include the outlines of the display cases in certain photos in order to emphasize the idea of deliberately examining and judging the foreign, or is my main idea better conveyed by displaying objects that exist in an uncertain realm?



  • Why do you feel the selected images most strongly convey your conceptual content?
    • I believe these two images are the strongest because they convey an unsettling or uncanny feel, which I believe accurately parallels what we feel when we are forced to confront what we do not understand. I decided that experimenting with photographing objects close up and farther away would help me communicate my ideas because it emphasizes the various opinions and impressions that can exist for a single entity, concept, or object. I tried to include as wide a variety of images as possible in order to experiment with what works well together when seen and compared side by side. 

  • How do you hope the formal treatment and scale impacts the interpretation?
    • I hope that my choices regarding scale impact the way that the viewer decides to view the images. I decided to print my images at a larger scale because the need to examine the details within the images would, I think, be encouraged by printing them at a larger size. I think the larger scale impacts the images because it encourages the viewer to analyze them not as mementos or as found images (something that could potentially be unintentionally be conveyed through smaller sized prints), but as pieces that are meant to be further scrutinized. I think that by depicting images of the unsettling, unascertainable "other" at a larger scale, the sense of uncertainty and of the image's status as an imposing presence will be more effectively conveyed. Through its larger size, the print and its subsequent subject matter are unavoidable and inescapable. 

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