Elijah Gowin

Bio from Website:

"Elijah Gowin uses photography to speak about ritual, landscape and memory.  His photographs are in the collection of the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Center for Creative Photography, among others.  In 2008, he received a John S. Guggenheim Fellowship.  Presently, he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where he directs photographic studies.  Gowin is represented by the Robert Mann Gallery, New York and Dolphin, Kansas City."

Quotes:

"Gowin collects amateur photographs through the internet and collages them in multiple layers before printing small paper negatives which are cut by hand and then scanned, causing the paper fibers to become a part of the final distressed image. The photographs appear to be both old and new, confusing to the eye and yet hauntingly familiar."--Robert Mann Gallery on the series Of Falling and Floating

"They look blurry and papery and scarred because the pieces of the paper image, which have little bits of pulp, when they’re scanned those pieces of pulp [are visible] as well. So you see the distress and blurriness of the paper as well as the image. Because I hand-cut the image, the funny shapes on the edges stay, but on the scanner they fight it out and start to get these stripes and bars—the scars and interaction between the old and new technology. It’s just like old people meeting young people—there’s miscommunication. "-- Elijah Gowin

http://elijahgowin.com/

Interview

Gallery

Symbolism

This semester I wan to take my concept a step further, by using objects other than just the light to become subject. i want the light to play more of the deliverer by transforming throughout the series into other objects. Symbolism will pay a huge role in this series if I go this route by correlating to ideas of obsession, oppression, and triumph. I want my objects to have mulitple meanings that have to do with the lighting as well as symbolism for every day life.

Quotes:
"Symbolic photographs can trigger multiple meanings, depending upon who may be looking at it, because symbols can often mean different things to different people. For example, people who might have little interest or knowledge of the Great Depression or World War II might see entirely different meanings in those two images. This is not a weakness of expressive photography. It is a strength. Images that offer multiple meanings will often challenge the imagination of viewers in unexpected and provocative ways."-- Gallery Twenty Eight

"Any image that encourages thought, moves the emotions, or stimulates the imagination can be a valuable experience. It all depends on how the photographer has used symbolization and how the viewer understands those symbols. "-- Gallery Twenty Eight


Bibliography:


"Gallery Twenty Eight: Using Symbols and Metaphors to Express Meaning Photo Gallery by Phil Douglis at Pbase.com." PBase.com. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. <http://www.pbase.com/pnd1/symbols>.

This article worked well in giving examples in the gallery of symbolim found in artwork. It doesn't necessarily have to be planned before the image is taken, sometimes one finds symbols in images that already exist.The artcle also addressed how symbolism can be very specific or it can be extremely general, such as with the photograph "Schoolroom". Symbolism can be portrayed by the existance of something in the image or by the absence of something. Symbolism is extremely open ended and can be interpreted differently by each viewer.

Anna Tomczak

Tomczak's work intrigues me because it uses the polaroid transfer as well as other alternative processes and is able to give her images the right amount of mystical qualities through this. I love the colors that are in the picture which show that she obviously picks each prop and subject for the color scheme and contrast that is particular to these processes. Also her use of the borders and imperfections due to the processes add rather than take away from the images.

Biography:

"For over 15 years artist Anna Tomczak has utilized the 20×24 camera to make hauntingly beautiful constructions.   Drawing on a large personal collection of unique and eccentric artifacts Tomczak creates an assemblage that only exists in time long enough to be recorded on large format Polaroid film.   These timeless compositions are heightened by her use of the Polacolor Image Transfer technique.   This process interrupts the normal peel apart development by separating the negative from the positive film earlier than intended and placed instead in contact with wet watercolor paper.   This technique mutes the color and softens the image, producing a more dreamlike and antique sensibility."- 20x24 Studio (http://20x24studio.com/?page_id=119)


Quotes:


 1."The Polaroid large format (20 x 24) transfer process lends a tactile quality to the photo imagery, and a one of a kind work on paper." - Anna Tomczak


2. With the impressive 20 x 24 Polaroid camera, I am able to paint, construct, envision, fantasize, and 'transfer' my ideas onto the piece of paper...There is a certain richness of color, combined with the visual clarity achieved with this camera and process, that I intend to explore as thoroughly as possible." - Anna Tomczak

Review

Gallery

Website

Polaroid Transfers

Over winter break I have been thinking about how I visually want to represent my images. I like how my concept has developed, but I feel the way in which I show this concept falls short. These images are meant to have a magical, other realm feeling, which the digital prints do not give. I am looking into other processes in photography, especially processes in the darkroom or that use film. I have had experience with the process of Polaroid Transfers, but have not used the process in years. My only dilemma is finding a way to create large prints, since unfortunately my equipment only makes 4x6 prints.


Quotes: 


1. "Polaroid transfers have a unique visual style that is a little ghostly, a little impressionistic, and often very moody"- Sarah Wichlacz


2. "t’s a fun way to spice up found slides and staged photos" - Sarah Wichlacz

Wichlacz, Sarah. "Polaroid Transfer Tutorial at Sarah Wichlacz." Sarah Wichlacz. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. <http://www.sarahwichlacz.com/?p=5>.


This article was extremely helpful in refreshening me in how to go about this process. The mixture of writing as well as images of how to complete the process will prove extremely helpful if I decide to experiment with this process. This article was also extremely helpful because through reading the comments I was able to find a place that would rent equipment to make 20x24 polaroid transfers.