Alone

Psychologists have recently noticed that people have become increasingly isolated socially from each other in the present. Due to all of the virtual gadgets that are now the norm in our lives, communication and companionship seem  to have taken a back seat. "Remarkably, 25% of Americans have no meaningful social support at all - not a single person they can confide in. And over half of all Americans report having no close confidants or friends outside their immediate family. The situation today is much worse today than it was when similar data were gathered in 1985,"(Psychology Today).  We have moved out of the comforts of company and into our own self involved worlds. "Even Americans of a few generations ago used to benefit from a richness of community life that has all but disappeared, as we've witnessed a long, slow retreat into the hermetically sealed comfort of our fortress-like homes..."(Psychology Today).

The idea of social isolation has a lot to do with the themes present in my work. My figure lives in some form of isolation with this mysterious relationship with the light. Others are never present in this mental world although much time passes. The idea of how we have begun to stray away from others and form a band with ourselves really touches on what my work has to do with.

"Social Isolation: A Modern Plague | Psychology Today." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness Find a Therapist. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-depression-cure/200907/social-isolation-modern-plague>.

I found this article to be very interesting due to the evidence it showed about how we are drifting apart. I raises great points about why this is happening due to new gadgets as well as the hours we work and commute. I found it very interesting though to read about how this so negatively effects us because we are meant to live in small groups that we grow close with. We are made to have companionship. The articles brings up the sad statistics about how so many people (25%) feel that they have no kind of companionship or support group.

Richard Misrach

Richard Misrach's work is similar to mine in his concept of how we have a large hand in the environment. We effect how it looks, yet we never stop to notice the absurdity of this. I also have been interested in his work because I am very drawn to the style in which he shoots. His work is the complete opposite of mine in the sense of aesthetics. While mine is extremely dark with high contrast, his work has a much softer and lighter look to it.

Biography:
"Richard Misrach (born in Los Angeles, California in 1949) is an American photographer known for his photographs of human intervention in landscapes.
Misrach graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1971. He first started photographing with a 35mm camera to foster social change. Since the late 1970s he has photographed using an 8x10 camera and color film. Misrach has one child, Jacob and lives in Berkeley, California."(Robert Mann Gallery)

Misrash is well known for his landscapes that show and obvious human hand in them such as tire tracks in a dessert and crowds of people on a beautiful beach. His most popular work, Dessert Cantos beautifully mixes this with soft lighting.

Quotes:
"Misrach's photography is sometimes referred to as cultural landscape photography as it shows human intervention in the landscape." (Robert Mann Gallery)

"As interesting and provocative as the cultural geography might be, the desert may serve as the backdrop for the problematic relationship between man and the environment. The human struggle, the successes and failures, the use and abuse, both noble and foolish, are readily apparent in the desert. Symbols and relationships seem to arise that stand for the human condition itself. It is a simple, if almost incomprehensible equation: the world is as terrible as it is beautiful, but when you look more closely, it is as beautiful as it is terrible. We must maintain constant vigilance, to protect the world from ourselves, and to embrace the world as it exists." -Richard Misrach

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"Biography: Richard Misrach | Robert Mann Gallery." ARTINFO - The Premier Site for News about Art and Culture around the World. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.artinfo.com/galleryguide/20291/6826/6306/robert-mann-gallery-new-york/artist/richard-misrach/biography/>.

Memory

In my psychology class we have been discussing how our memory works and how there are many elements of our lives we never remember because we choose to ignore it, so once we stop seeing, hearing, or feeling it, our brains loose the information forever. There are three different types of memory: Sensory Memory, Short-term memory, and Long-term memory. The amazing thing about sensory memory is that our brain absorbs all this information at every second, yet we only remember it for a few seconds. The small amount of information we do remember makes it into our Short-term memory, but most of this information only lasts in our brain for 30 seconds to 3 minutes. I feel this topic of how our brain remembers stuff, has a lot to do with some of the concepts in my work. A lot of my images have to do with discovery, but it is rediscovery of things that are already there, that we do not pay attention to, so it never makes it into our long-term memory.

Quotes:

"Usually, the STS is described as having a limited storage capacity (seven, plus or minus two items) that 'decay' and become inaccessible after a relatively brief interval (estimates range from 12 to 30 seconds)."-Human memory Model

"To do this, the theory must specify properties of the processes and stores. For example, a store might have a "maximum capacity" --- in other words, a maximum quantity of information that it can hold at a 

given time. If we know a store's capacity and what happens when that capacity is exceeded, we will be able to predict that certain information will be forgotten at certain times." -Human Memory Model

"Human Memory Model." Human Systems Integration Division at NASA Ames. Web. 20 Oct.2010.http://humanfactors.arc.nasa.gov/cognition/tutorials/ModelOf/Knowmore1.html.

This article gave me good scientific facts that I could use to cite information and then tie it into my project. The article provided a brief overview of the three types of memory and shows the movement from one to the next. Senory memory is all the information that our brain takes in. This form of memory though, only lasts for up to 30 seconds. The second form of memory is short-term memory this kind of memory last for only 30 seconds to 3 minutes. The third kind of memory is long-term memory, which is stored for over 3 minutes and on. Very little of our daily life ever makes it to this stage. From this information I was able to conceptualize these ideas and apply them to my work.

Arthur Tress

Although Arthur Tress's work is visually different from my work, his photographs still deal with a similar concept. His work places much importance on the subjects actions and locations in the shots. I love the small details in his photographs, such as the sun outlining one of the figures in the second image down. The images have an erie quality, yet the images are not out of the ordinary subjects and there is nothing distinctly different about the subjects. Somehow though, through the lighting, angles, etcetera, he is able to produce an alternate reality from reality.


Biography:

"Arthur Tress was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY on November 24, 1940. He took his first photographs while still in elementary school in 1952. He attended Bard College where he studied art and art history, world culture and philosophy under Heinrich Bluecher. While studying, he continued to photograph and began making short films. He graduated in 1962 with a B.F.A.  After graduation from Bard, Tress moved to Paris to attend film school, but soon left. After traveling through Europe, Egypt, Japan, India and Mexico, he settled in Stockholm, Sweden and worked as a photographer at the Stockholm Ethnographic Museum. In 1968 he moved back to New York with a commitment to becoming a professional photographer. He had his first one-person exhibition that year, "Appalachia--People and Places", which was held at the Smithsonian Institute and the Sierra Gallery (New York City). He then worked as a documentary photographer for V.I.S.T.A. from 1969-1970. Arthur Tress was one of the first artists in the 1970s to break way from street photography and develop a more personal vision, which included manipulating that realty in front of him instead of being just a passive observer."

 - Alex Novak  (Novak, Alex. "Arthur Tress." Rev. of Arthur Tress. Web log post. Contemporary Works. Web. 17 Oct. 2010. <http://www.contemporaryworks.net/artists/artist_bio.php/1/6606>.)

Quotes: 

"Photography has an amazing ability to capture the fine detail of surface textures. But far too often these intricate patterns are loved by the photographer for their own sake. The richness of texture fascinates the eye and the photographer falls easy prey to such quickly-caught complexities. The designs mean nothing in themselves and are merely pictorially attractive abstractions. A central problem in contemporary photography is to bring about a wider significance in purely textural imagery." - Arthur Tress 

"I’ll push myself to complete a series, because sometimes when you get to the end of your rope, you can go beyond and actually invent something new – something you hadn’t seen before." - Arthur Tress

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Magic

Magical realism has become an extremely important part of my series. I have turned the light from being a character to becoming more of precious, magical item while still mixing it with every day life. I am trying to have my figures dressed in every day clothing to give a clear dating to the images, yet I keep the locations in places that are much more ambiguous. Reading about magical realism in literature as well as in art, helps to give me ideas on how to go about this process. I want to create images that could easily be seen on a every day basis, yet I want to change one detail about it (the light, and the subjects interactions with it) in order to throw off the viewer.

“Magic realism is the opposite of the "once-upon-a-time" style of story-telling in which the author emphasizes the fantastic quality of imaginary events. In the world of magic realism, the narrator speaks of the surreal so naturally it becomes real.” -B.J Geetha

“…the supernatural is presented as mundane, and the mundane as supernatural or extraordinary.” – B.J Geetha

Geetha, B.J. "Magic Realism in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude." Periyar University. Web. 13 Oct. 2010

This article was extremely effective in clearly describing magical realism as a literary and artistic genre. The article also acts as an analysis of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s story “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” The author describes how Marquez uses the elements of the story to make the reader question real life political events occurring in Columbia. He then goes on to describe the main events in the storyline that deal with loneliness a person deals with, whether voluntary or forced. The article mostly helped though, to give examples of magical realism through analyzing the storyline.

submission to Photographer's Forum Contest

Alison Scarpulla

Looking at Alison Scarpulla’s work helps me to think about how I need to present my work in a series. Her images are intentionally creepy and mysterious and though that, even images that are completely different, fit within the series. Her images put much importance on the subjects interaction with the environment which is something that is extremely important in my work. I want my images to have a slightly more toned down feel to them but in same realm as her work.

Biography:

‘I've lived in New York my whole life. When I was 15 I received my first 35mm SLR and entered a photography class in high school, and from then on I would carry my camera around and shoot film wherever I went! In my photography class I started experimenting in the darkroom with double exposures and different developing methods. Everything just came pretty naturally. From then on I've kind of taught myself just through trial and error” – Alison Scarpulla

It has been extremely difficult to find information on Scarpulla. With the exception of her flickr page it is very hard to find information such as shows she has been in, artist statements, ect. No one else who presents her images on their websites seems to know much about her either. They all refer only to her Flickr page.

Quotes:

“Most of my inspiration comes from old books, different cultures & traditions, old films, diaries & found writings, taking midnight strolls through the woods, and just the all-round energy of nature.”-Alison Scarpulla

“Her photos are like little adventures filled with dreams, nightmares and magic.” – Kartin Braga (http://katrinbragad.blogspot.com/2010/06/alison-scarpulla.html)

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliscarpulla/

Julika Rudelius Lecture Response

What was the most interesting quote of the lecture and why?

When she was talking about working with the millionaires and how she got them to behave the way they did in her work even though she was in the room with a camera she responded saying “ every time I am totally amazed that there is this total neglectance”. Meaning they were so focused on themselves they didn’t even care if they were making themselves look bad in front of her and the camera. To them they were the only important one in the room and the other elements they ignored.

Using three words, define the core of the artist's practice and artwork.

Manipulative, typographic, revealing

What is the most interesting thing you learned about the artist that you did not know before?

I found I was most interested in her explaining why she created work such as “Your Blood is as Red as Mine.” She openly admitted that she did it because after being mugged, she noticed she was beginning to become racists, which scared her. I found her openly admitting this, was a very interesting things to know about her and her inspiration.

Do you know the answer to your two original questions? If so, what are the answers?

1. You seem very interested in staging all of you subjects in order to get the responses that you want from them. Have you ever worked with trying to catch your subjects in the moment instead of initiating the conversations?

She doesn’t want to try to catch things in the moment because her work has a lot to do with manipulating the subject by asking questions. On one occasion she did use footage that was off script when one of her subjects starting asking her about her religious beliefs and telling her she needed to take it more seriously if she wants to go to heaven. With the exception of that though, most of her work would not work well in this format because she would not get the responses she needs out of them on their own.

2. You seem very interested in these rich and powerful men such as in your work Economic Primacy and in Rites of Passage. Have you been interested in using powerful women in any work?

In a way she has already focused on powerful women in her work “Forever” in which she interviews older housewives who are extremely rich in Beverly Hills. Though this focused less on the money side of things, these women felt they had power because of their looks and status in society.

What image or artwork do you find the most compelling and powerful after hearing the artist describe it?

I find the millionaire piece was most compelling because of her description of how her experience with these men where. After hearing her talk about it I realized that she did not use editing to her advantage to make these men look bad. They were in real life that arrogant about their wealth and status in society. The quote from this work “It’s inevitable that some people are poor. Someone is always the poorest... People shouldn’t have to starve to death. But... recently, I was in a room where I was clearly the poorest. All the other guys had more than 100 million dollars... so I was the poorest. Someone always is,” was most shocking to me because of the speaker's complete disregard for how they came across.

Do you have any new questions in regards to the artist?

I am curious about what typographic groups she wants to work with next.

Imagination

I feel I have been focusing too much on the fear aspect of my concept while I should be focusing more on the imaginative side to it. Especially with my image in the attic, the childlike imaginative side seems much more prominent than fear. I have been looking at different imaginary worlds created by fiction authors and cinematographers to get some inspiration on how to present my images. I have become interested in creating an imaginary world that take place in ordinary places such as a garage or attic. Through thinking about imagination, I have become interested in creating a loose story within my series by using the same model (possibly still myself) at different point in their life.




Quotes:


"Whenever you think about the Civil War or the Roman Empire or possibly God, you're using your imagination," -Paul  Harris


"The imagination is absolutely vital for contemplating reality, not just those things we take to be mere fantasy."-Paul Harris


 Bibliography:


Wang, By Shirley. "Children's Imagination Important for Cognitive Development - WSJ.com."Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - WSJ.com. 22 Dec. 2009. Web. 06 Oct. 2010. <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703344704574610002061841322.html>.
This article has a nice, positive psychological perspective on imagination. Instead of discouraging imagination, the author and her resources, encourage imagination, arguing it helps children's minds develop. They argue that children who believe in Santa Clause are actually thinking scientifically when believing by comparing Santa to the garbage man. While Santa mysteriously makes present appear though children never see him, the garbage man makes the trash disappear while the children never see him either. The article goes on to say that parents should read fictional stories to their children and encourage playing dress-up in order to boost the child's imagination.

Julika Rudelius

1. You seem very interested in staging all of you subjects in order to get the responses that you want from them. Have you ever worked with trying to catch your subjects in the moment instead of initiating the conversations?

2. You seem very interested in these rich and powerful men such as in your work Economic Primacy and in Rites of Passage. Have you been interested in using powerful women in any work?

Samantha Everton

Everton's work relates to my work because it depicts these mysterious scenes that create fear but also curiosity. I am drawn to her work because it lets me look at how she has her subjects interact with the environment as well as see what items she ads into the scene and leaves out of it. Her work also helps to give me ideas for the setting I have in my photographs. I am trying to figure out if I want more staged scenes like this work, or if I should continue using locations I am familiar with and leaving them how I find them when photographing. I am drawn to these staged images though, because they have more of the polished look I want to achieve.

Biography:

"Samantha grew up in Emerald, a small outback town in central Queensland, Australia and currently resides in Melbourne. Samantha’s art work has been extensively exhibited throughout Australia and internationally. Her works are held in both private and public collections and have been published in numerous magazines including the New Yorker. Samantha has been the recipient of a number of art prizes; the Australian Leica Photographer of the year, the MacGregor Prize for Photography and was highly commended in the prestigious Moran Contemporary Art Prize." - Light Journeys: Women Working in Australian Photography

Quotes:

"I think it is hard to separate artwork from your own self as it comes from your imagination, which is fed from your life. These are not directly my fears but a collection of experiences I have seen in my life. The fear of abandonment, the fear of being left out or not belonging are common to us all. These are my interpretations of those fears."(Samantha Everton)

"My images are a snapshot, mid moment, they don't begin or end. It leaves you to your own imagination, to draw your own conclusions."(Samantha Everton)

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