What is meditative photography? What does it do for the viewer? Does it act as simply a calming agent, or does it draw more emotion than that?
I have recently been drawn to more meditative work than I would normally enjoy. Maybe this has to do with the hectic-ness of my art right now. But I think it is important to recognize and appreciate all ways that photos are shot. So I am currently appreciating more meditative work. By meditative I mean no object in clear description, more work with light and especially color rathre than a clear concept. I would consider some landscape work categorized as such also. But I question if work such as this can be consistent and strong for a large series, or does the effect sort of fade after a few?
Work such as this, that is more concentrated in color and light makes me think of Chris' work that he recently put into his show. The ones of simple color (sorry I can't remember the name- don't hate me). But his work is an example of not literal or conceptual, in the form of recogition of space or shape. But work such as this for me sometimes makes me feel so emotional just from the interaction of colors that it becomes mezmerising and wonderful.
Can work such as this be paired with clearly staged photos? I do think that specific colors draw certain emotions, so could this impact how we see these in a series, etc? I cannot explain quite why I am drawn to this imagery, but I would like to know what others think.
I know that was more than one quesiton but I'm just trying to figure it out for myself. Is the process of creating this work, as opposed to more staged photos different? How?
3 comments:
I have been thinking a lot about why I am drawn to these types of images. I saw a Rothko and Franz Kline in the museum and I was awe-struck. Not due to the sense of being overwhelmed with complexity. But the sense of the artist. The pieces of art feel so certain in their direction and movement that it is hard not to look at it with appreciation, for me anyway. I am drawn to this type of work because it feel certain. Not to say this is good or bad/strong or weak, but it feels strong to me.
Hey Jackie, I didn't know how to post something for you on the blog other than leaving a comment, so here it is:
This doesn't exactly pertain to the "meditation" theme unless you could argue that these backgrounds "try" to do that...I wanted to share this photo with you that looks very similar to the one you shot in the prison and used for your space study in the senior show (very nice printing by the way!)
I guess more than just prisons are trying to make those who occupy them feel more like "home," although isn't a dentist office "supposed" to feel like a dentist office, and likewise isn't a prison "supposed" to feel like a prison?
Check out http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/2010/04/mark_lyon/
You can find more of this work at Mark's site at www.marklyonphotography.com and Landscapes for the People.
I'd love to hear your thoughts about the transformation from something clinical to natural (or I guess you could say that the natural is really faux)
Sam,
Thanks for posting. I looked at that site and man, that's wild. I actually went back into the prison and shot more of that mural by the washing machine and it is crazy big! I'm sure you'll see more of the photos in my presentation from my time there. But I think this is very interesting, particularly because I have seen this space within the prison. I do question what effect it has on the prisoners. The mural is mostly dark colors, dark greens and blues so when they are in that room, what do they feel? It makes me question a lot, actually, but these are just a few.
Also, you're right. I definitely labeled the photos I posted wrong. Well not necessarily wrong, but I limited them to feeling, for me, meditative. Although this is how I see them, not all will see them this way. I'm certain the photographer did not want to limit them in this way either, so I shouldn't either.
Post a Comment